The Prosecutors’ office in Krakow has sent a request to a regional court to extradite the Oscar-winning filmmaker to America over a 1977 child sex crime conviction.
"The further actions in this case will depend on the court," the prosecutors' office said in a statement.
The 81-year old director fled the U.S. for Europe in 1978 after pleading guilty in 1977 to having unlawful sex with a 13-year-old during a photo-shoot in Los Angeles and serving 42 days in jail as part of a 90-day plea bargain.
Polanski claimed that Superior Court Judge Laurence Rittenband reneged on a plea deal that would give him only probation.
In 2009, Polanski was arrested in Zurich on the U.S. warrant and placed under house arrest. He was freed in 2010 after Swiss authorities decided not to extradite him to the United States.
According to Polish law, if the court decides that the U.S. request should proceed further, the Justice Minister will then make the decision on whether to extradite Polanski.
Roman Polanski is a French film director, producer, writer, and actor of Polish descent. He made films in Poland, the United Kingdom, France and the United States. He is best known for his Oscar-winning 1974 film “Chinatown.” Some of his other films include “The Pianist” in 2002, “Oliver Twist” in 2005 and “The Ghost Writer” in 2010.
