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If the plea was withdrawn, could the DA’s office pull the case together after all this time? Probably. First of all, even though Geimer said she didn’t want Polanski to do any more time, I wouldn’t discount the possibility that she’d show up to testify at trial. But even if she didn’t, lots of other evidence is out there: Geimer’s spontaneous statements to others about the rape, the observations of the nurses and doctors who examined her, and Polanski’s admissions to friends, family, and others would come in. Bottom line, there’s a case that can be made even without the victim—and without Polanski’s guilty plea.

And if this case does go to trial, Polanski might find himself wishing he’d gotten it into court back in 1977. Because Wells was certainly right. The ’70s are long gone, and today people see rape for the crime it is.

I think most people realize, certainly Europeans do, that the case against Roman Polanski is less about justice now than the reach of American Power.

The second best reason Polanski is being so relentlessly pursued is, quite obviously, cultural.. If thirty years ago, some European starlet had plied a thirteen year old boy with champagne and qaaludes and had sex with him, the American justice system would have dropped the case as soon as she left the country, presuming a case was ever filed. And to this day, no one in the United States, liberal or conservative, man or woman, would harbor any ill will toward her or utter an once of vituperative sentiment against her.