Swiss parliamentarians say government was correct to arrest Roman Polanski on US warrant

October 6th, 2009 Swiss gov't to decide on Polanski release appealGENEVA — The Swiss Justice Ministry says it will decide this week whether to grant a request from Roman Polanski to be released from prison. Ministry spokesman Folco Galli says the appeal by Polanski's legal team is separate from a court case it filed last week that also seeks Polanski's freedom, possibly on bail or under house arrest in Switzerland.

October 6th, 2009 Swiss reject Polanski's bid for prison releaseBERN, Switzerland — The Swiss Justice Ministry says it has rejected an appeal from Roman Polanski to be released from prison pending his possible extradition to the United States. Ministry spokesman Folco Galli told The AP on Tuesday that the government maintains there is a high risk that Polanski might flee if released from custody.

October 6th, 2009 GENEVA - Celebrated film director Roman Polanski was set to stay in jail after Swiss justice ministry officials said Tuesday the risk of flight if he were to be released was too high. The Swiss justice ministry deemed that Polanski posed a risk that he would try to flee the Alpine country if released to either house arrest or on bail, options which had previously been floated.

October 2nd, 2009 Swiss ex-minister: Polanski should've been warnedZURICH — Switzerland's former justice minister says Swiss authorities should have warned Roman Polanski he was facing an international arrest warrant before he came to the country. Christoph Blocher says on his Web site it was wrong for Polanski to be arrested as he arrived for a government-backed festival that invited him to receive an award.

September 30th, 2009 Lawyer: Polanski to ask for freedom TuesdayZURICH — Director Roman Polanski will file a motion Tuesday in a Swiss court asking to be released from custody for possible extradition to the United States for having sex in 1977 with a 13-year-old girl, his lawyer said. Attorney Herve Temime told The Associated Press that Polanski's legal representatives had hoped to hand in all necessary documents to Swiss authorities on Monday.

September 30th, 2009 Court: Polanski appeals for release from custodyZURICH — The Swiss Criminal Court says imprisoned director Roman Polanski has filed a motion requesting to be released. The court said in a statement Tuesday that it will make a decision "in the next weeks." Any verdict is subject to appeal from both sides.

September 30th, 2009 Polanski arrested in Zurich after 31-year exileLOS ANGELES — A surprise arrest at the Zurich airport, detention at the hands of Swiss authorities, and a high-profile extradition process that could take weeks or months. The irony is that for Roman Polanski, the acclaimed director accused of child rape three decades ago, the ordeal could add up to one thing: his freedom.

September 30th, 2009 LA prosecutors: Polanski efforts go back decadesLOS ANGELES — With Roman Polanski under arrest in Switzerland, American prosecutors Monday disputed a claim by the director that they had never tried to nab him after he fled overseas to escape sentencing on charges he had sex with an underage girl. The Los Angeles County district attorney's office said it had multiple contacts with several countries in efforts to arrest the Academy Award-winning filmmaker, including once with Israel as recently as 2007.

September 30th, 2009 Lawyer: Polanski to seek release from Swiss prisonZURICH — Director Roman Polanski will file a motion Tuesday in a Swiss court asking to be released from custody for possible extradition to the United States for having sex in 1977 with a 13-year-old girl, his lawyer said. Attorney Herve Temime told The Associated Press that Polanski's legal representatives had hoped to hand in all necessary documents to Swiss authorities on Monday.

September 30th, 2009 Swiss justice official: bail for Polanski possibleZURICH — The Swiss Justice Ministry says Roman Polanski could be released on bail under very strict conditions that he doesn't flee Switzerland. Spokesman Guido Balmer says such an arrangement is "not entirely excluded" under Swiss law and that Polanski can file a motion seeking his release on bail.

September 30th, 2009 Polanski asks Swiss court to free him from custodyZURICH — Lawyers for Roman Polanski filed a motion in court Tuesday asking that the director be released from Swiss custody — the first step in his legal battle to avoid extradition to the United States for a 1977 statutory rape case. The Swiss Federal Criminal Court announced the filing and said "the decision will be made within the next weeks." That statement meant Polanski was not expected to be freed anytime soon from prison, as he would stay incarcerated through the verdict and through any appeal from either side.

September 30th, 2009 Swiss arrest Polanski on US request in sex caseOK, can you do some more probing? New York will want to know frank's out today. i checked already, and so did zurich.

September 30th, 2009 Facing extradition, Polanski gets Swiss lawyerZURICH — A Zurich law firm says movie director Roman Polanski has hired a Swiss attorney to represent him while he is held in Swiss custody for possible extradition to the United States. Eschmann & Erni secretary Gabriele Joesler says lawyer Lorenz Erni has been hired by Polanski, who is wanted by the U.S.

September 29th, 2009 GENEVA - Film director Roman Polanski filed a formal appeal with a Swiss court Tuesday against the arrest order for his extradition to the US. Polanski was arrested late Saturday at Zurich airport on a warrant dating from a 1977 California case in which he pleaded guilty to unlawful intercourse with a 13-year-old girl he plied with champagne and sedatives.

September 28th, 2009 PARIS - Film director Roman Polanski, jailed in Switzerland on an American arrest warrant, will fight extradition to the United States, his French attorney said Monday. The 76-year-old Polanski "has rejected the extradition demand...