Roman Polanski Asks Prosecutors To Review Film's Claims

Mr. Polanski, the director of "Rosemary's Baby" and "Chinatown," fled the United States 30 years ago on the eve of being sentenced for the statutory rape of a 13-year-old girl. Now, Mr. Polanski and his lawyer have asked the Los Angeles district attorney's office to review a new documentary in which a former deputy district attorney claims to have coached the judge in the case.

In the film, "Roman Polanski: Wanted and Desired," the former prosecutor, David Wells, describes advising Judge Laurence J. Rittenband to send Mr. Polanski to prison for a psychiatric review, though Mr. Wells was not involved with the case.

Mr. Wells also points out to the judge, who died in 1993, what Mr. Wells considered defiant behavior by Mr. Polanski. Mr. Wells, in an interview in the film, says he showed Judge Rittenband a photograph of Mr. Polanski with two girls taken in Germany before his sentencing. " 'Judge,' I said, 'Look here. He's flipping you off,' " Mr. Wells recalled.

Read more on New York Times