British actress says Roman Polanski sexually abused her in 1982 when she was 16
A British actress took center stage in the Roman Polanski case Friday, holding a news conference to say the famed director sexually abused her when she was 16 years old.
Charlotte Lewis, who appeared in Polanski’s 1986 film “Pirates,” told reporters that the Oscar-winning director “forced himself” upon her in 1982 in Paris.
Lewis did not report the incident at the time, and it is unclear why she chose to hold a news conference now.
Lewis, 42, alleges that the incident occurred in a Paris apartment. The legal age of consent in France is 15, according to French law.
The actress was a child star in Britain on the TV show “Grange Hill” and also appeared in movies.
She made the statements during a news conference with her Los Angeles attorney, Gloria Allred.
Polanski’s attorney released the following statement: “We don’t have any information about statements made at a Gloria Allred press conference today, but we do know that our district attorney continues to refuse to provide the Swiss government with accurate and complete information relevant to the extradition issue.”
The Los Angeles County district attorney’s office confirmed Lewis met with prosecutors Thursday but declined to comment further. L.A. prosecutors want Polanski to be extradited from Switzerland to California to face sentencing for having unlawful sex with a 13-year-old girl more than three decades ago.
Polanski is under house arrest in Switzerland and is fighting efforts to return him to Los Angeles.
One legal expert said it was possible prosecutors could use Lewis’ statements if Polanski does come to the U.S. for sentencing — but it remains unclear whether they would.
“Other bad acts are something prosecutors can highlight,” said Dmitry Gorin, a defense attorney and former deputy district attorney who prosecuted sex crimes. “It is my gut instinct that they will be able use this information unless there is something specific in the statutes preventing it.”
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