No extradition for priest rapist

A Catholic priest who pleaded guilty to unlawful sex with a 13 year old girl at a colleague's house was originally charged in the late 1970s with six offences including rape and sodomy, but negotiated a plea bargain. He served 42 days in a US secure psychiatric unit. He has always maintained he was promised a short sentence, but he fled the US after hearing rumours that the judge was about to re-sentence him for a much longer term.

Recently, he has spent some time under house arrest in Switzerland, electronically tagged, and anxiously awaiting the outcome of his extradition trial. He has now been set free after the Swiss government rejected the request from the Los Angeles District Attorney for his return to the US.

The French Culture Minister said that the time for calm had come and that the Catholic priest's rich personality, and his universally admired works should all regain their standing.

The philosopher Bernard Henri-Levy said:
"Switzerland has found the path to reason ... What a beautiful lesson in democracy."
The world's media have reverently quoted the Catholic priest's expression of gratitude to his supporters released via the AFP news agency:
"I simply want, from the bottom of my heart, to thank all those who supported me and tell them today of my great satisfaction,"
The BBC gave a balanced report, giving full weight to the joy of the Catholic priest's associates and the priest's own side of the story. Various news outlets pondered over whether the Catholic priest might find it difficult to travel as freely has he has done in the past.

Oops! Did I write "Catholic priest"? Silly me! What I meant to say was "Film director".

H/T Christina Odone: Guilty Roman Polanski and innocent Pope Benedict: Lefty luvvies show their hypocrisy

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