Film director Roman Polanski is in for a showdown in Los Angeles as he’s scheduled to face a civil trial in 2025 over allegations of raping a teenager back in 1973. (Photo: Julien De Rosa/EPA, via Shutterstock)
Gloria Allred, a prominent attorney known for representing victims in high-profile cases like Jeffery Epstein and Bill Cosby, dropped the bombshell during a press conference on Tuesday, confirming that Polanski’s trial date has been set for August 2025.
Polanski, now 90, has been dodging US authorities for decades since his escape from the country to evade sentencing following his admission of raping 13-year-old Samantha Geimer in 1977. The mastermind behind acclaimed films like “The Pianist” and “Rosemary’s Baby” has been plagued with numerous allegations of sexual abuse over the years. Coincidentally, as the Los Angeles trial looms, Polanski is currently facing trial in France over allegations of defaming a British actor who accused him of abuse.
This time, Polanski is facing charges including rape, sexual battery, and causing severe emotional distress for an alleged incident dating back to 1973.
During the press conference, Allred stood alongside a woman, referred to as Jane Doe, who claimed that Polanski raped her when she was a minor in 1973. According to Allred, the encounter happened after Polanski invited her to dinner months after meeting her at a party. Allegedly, Polanski, aware of her age, plied her with alcohol throughout the evening before taking her to his Los Angeles residence. Doe alleges that she woke up in his bed where Polanski proceeded to sexually assault her despite her protests.
“Plaintiff, though groggy, told defendant, ‘No.’ She told him, ‘Please don’t do this.’ She alleges he ignored her pleas,” Allred said, quoting from the lawsuit. “She also alleges that defendant Polanski removed plaintiff’s clothes and he proceeded to sexually assault her, causing her tremendous physical and emotional pain and suffering.”
After the assault, Polanski dropped her off at her home, and they never crossed paths again, according to Allred. While Polanski continued with his life seemingly unaffected by the allegations against him, his accuser has been grappling with the aftermath of the incident, Allred added.
Jane Doe, who came forward with her allegations in 2017, filed a lawsuit last year under a new California law extending the statute of limitations for victims of child sexual abuse.
“It took me a really long time to decide to file this suit against Mr. Polanski but I finally did make that decision and I decided I want to file it to obtain justice and accountability,” Doe said.
Between 2017 and 2019, four women, including three who were allegedly minors at the time, accused Polanski of abusing them in the 1970s. Among them was Marianne Barnard, an artist who claimed Polanski sexually assaulted her when she was 10. Another accuser, Charlotte Lewis, accused Polanski of sexually assaulting her in 1983 when she was 16. Polanski has vehemently denied all allegations.
Geimer, the victim in the 1977 case, recently urged an LA judge to drop the charges against Polanski, stating that he regrets what happened. “I would implore you to finally bring this to a close as an act of mercy to myself and my family,” Geimer said.
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