Polanski to Chill in Chalet Until L.A. Judge Rules on Rape Case

Swiss authorities say no point in extradition until ruling from States

Roman Polanski won't be leaving his Swiss chalet just yet, after Swiss authorities said they won't extradite the former fugitive director until a judge in Los Angeles determines whether he faces further sentencing.

Polanski, 76, is under house arrest in his Swiss chalet after being arrrested on 32-year-old child rape charges last year. Polanski had been living in France until he went to Switzerland to accept an award and was nabbed.

The director of such classics as "Rosemary's Baby," Chinatown" and "The Piano" pleaded guilty in 1978 to having sex with a 13-year-old girl, then fled before he could be sentenced. He is hoping to resolve his case in absentia. In the meantime, the Swiss Justice Ministry's deputy director said it would make "no sense" to remove him from house arrest at his Alpine chalet.

"When the question is still open, why should he be extradited?" Rudolf Wyss said. "As long as the question is still open, our decision depends on that."

Wyss spoke the same day that Polanski's latest film, "The Ghost Writer," was to debut at the annual Berlin film festival.

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