Roman Polanski plans to sue Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for ‘illegal expulsion’
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences finally expelled Roman Polanski from their midst, along with actor Bill Cosby, who confessed to raping a minor in the late 1970’s. Now Polanski. Polanski’s attorney Harland Braun announced the Rosemary’s Baby director was reportedly “blindsided” by the sudden decision, and stated that Polanski will sue the Academy for the “illegal expulsion.”
Polanski pleaded guilty to raping and sodomizing a 13-year-old girl in 1977 before fleeing the country to escape justice.
The expulsion from the Academy comes four decades after the offense and after winning a Best Director Oscar in 2003 for The Pianist.
The Academy said of its decision: “The Board continues to encourage ethical standards that require members to uphold the Academy’s values of respect for human dignity.”
In a letter to Academy president John Bailey, obtained by The Hollywood Reporter, Braun says that Polanski was unfairly denied the right to appeal the decision or plead his case.
“I am writing this letter to you to avoid unnecessary litigation,” Braun warned. “Mr. Polanski has a right to go to court and require your organization to follow its own procedures, as well as California law.”
This is where he uses the term “illegal expulsion.”
“The only proper solution would be for your organization to rescind its illegal expulsion of Mr. Polanski and follow its own Standards of Conduct by giving Mr. Polanski reasonable notice of the charges against him and a fair hearing to present his position with respect to any proposed expulsion,” Braun writes.
Following the case, Polanski illegally fled the country, lived in England for decades, still evading justice.
Academy insiders “are confident that Braun has no grounds for pursuing the matter, arguing that not all expulsions for standards of conduct violations are subject to appeal.”
Article 10, Section 3 of the organization’s bylaws state the following: “Any member of the Academy may be suspended or expelled for cause by the Board of Governors. Expulsion or suspension as herein provided for shall require the affirmative vote of not less than two-thirds of all the Governors.”
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This is a really bad thing and if Polanski is guilty so he will face the law. Otherwise motion pictures were a very big name. They provide very entertainment to the whole world.