Oscar-winning director Roman Polanski will not be extradited to the U.S. from Poland over a 1977 child sex conviction, a Polish court decided on Friday.
The Krakow appellate prosecutor’s office found no justification for such an appeal. The decision, which upheld an October ruling, is now legally binding and cannot be appealed again.
“Speaking for Polanski, I can say that we feel a great relief that this case has ended,” Jan Olszewski, one of Polanski’s lawyers said, according to Reuters. “And this means that it will be possible for Polanski to start making a planned film in Poland.”
The United States had requested Polanski’s extradition from Poland in early 2015, after he made a rare public appearance at Harvey Weinstein‘s screening of “Big Eyes” in Gstaad, as TheWrap exclusively reported.
Polanski pleaded guilty in 1977 to having sex with a 13-year-old girl during a photo shoot in Los Angeles. He served 42 days in jail as part of a plea agreement. He fled the United States the following year, to Britain and then France.
Samantha Geimer, the victim in the case, has publicly stated that Polanski’s lengthy exile has been punishment enough.
The filmmaker holds both Polish and French citizenship.