Roman Polanski’s lawyers lashed out against U.S. courts on Saturday, accusing them of wanting to see the award-winning director “in shackles.”
On Thursday, a California appeals court ruled that Polanski must return to the state before being sentenced. The Polish-born director was convicted of having a sex with a minor in 1977 but fled the country before he could be sentenced.
Polanski is currently held under house arrest in Switzerland. He has successfully evaded arrest and extradition to the U.S. by living in France. He was arrested in Geneva in September 2009 when he arrived to receive a lifetime achievement award. Switzerland and the U.S. have signed an extradition treaty, but Swiss officials are waiting to review the California court’s recent ruling before deciding whether to turn Polanski over to U.S. authorities.
