Back to IndieWire

Third Woman Claims Roman Polanski ‘Sexually Victimized’ Her As a Minor

In a press conference this morning, a woman known as "Robin M." came forward about an event she says happened in 1973.

Aug 15, 2017 4:23 pm

Roman Polanski

Jarek Praszkiewicz/AP/REX/Shutterstock

A third woman has come forward to accuse embattled director Roman Polanski of having “sexually victimized” her when she was 16 years old. The new claims date back to 1973, when the alleged victim — going by the name “Robin M.” — was just a teenager. The woman made her accusations during a morning press conference, held at the Los Angeles office of lawyer Gloria Allred.

Robin M. did not take any questions during the press conference, and both she and Allred declined give further details on the alleged crime and how the young woman first met Polanski. In 2010, Allred also represented Charlotte Lewis, an actress who accused Polanski of sexually abusing her when she was 16 during the making of the film “Pirates.” Lewis did not file charges at the time.

Deadline reports that “Allred said her client had recently been in touch with law enforcement officials and was ready to testify as to her own victimization if Polanski were to be retried on charges that he sexually assaulted then-13-year-old Samantha Geimer in 1977.” The latest chapter in the first and most well-publicized case against Polanksi — the 1977 rape case involving the assault of 13-year-old Samantha Geimer — is still ongoing, and Geimer herself has recently spoken out about her belief that Polanski should be let off.

As Deadline notes, “Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Scott M. Gordon has yet to rule on Geimer’s recent plea that the case be resolved or Polanski’s request to open sealed testimony that his lawyers have argued would show he was victimized by court misconduct.”

“I would implore you to finally bring this to a close as an act of mercy to myself and my family,” Geimer said to L.A. Superior Court Judge Scott Gordon justyesterday, according to Variety. “We are human beings, not wins and losses.”

Polanski’s attorney Harland Braun responded to the new claims in an official statement, writing:

“I think this is an attempt to influence Judge Gordon by a news conference. Ms. Geimer came to court, presented herself and begged the four decades old case be over. If this lady wants to block Ms. Geimer’s request, Ms. Allred could file an amicus brief with Judge Gordon. Mr. Polanski has done 10 months in custody in a case where he was promised no more than two months and Ms. Geimer has a right to her own life and opinions.”

Robin M. fired back with her own additional statement, which refuted Braun’s claims that the conference was only held as a way to “influence” the judge, writing: “This infuriated me! I am speaking out now so that Samantha and the world will know that she is not the only minor Roman Polanski had victimized.”

Sign Up: Stay on top of the latest breaking film and TV news! Sign up for our Email Newsletters here.

This Article is related to: Film and tagged


More From IndieWire

Get The Latest IndieWire Alerts And Newsletters Delivered Directly To Your Inbox

Newswire

ad