JURIST - Paper Chase: Polanksi asks UK court for permission to sue via video

[JURIST] Roman Polanski, the Oscar-winning film director, urged England's highest court on Wednesday to allow him sue via video link to avoid being extradited to the US on charges of child sex offenses. Polanski, who lives in Paris, wishes to sue Vanity Fair magazine in the UK for libel. Polanski relies upon English civil procedure rule CPR 32.3, which allows witnesses to give evidence via video link. Last year, a British Court of Appeal ruled that Polanski would not be allowed to give evidence via video link from Paris, holding that "the court should not be seen to assist a claimant who is a fugitive from justice to evade sentence for a crime of which he has been convicted." Polanski fears that appearing in a British court would result in his extradition to the US as a fugitive. Polanski plead guilty to having unlawful sex with a minor in a California court in 1977, but fled the country before the sentence was handed down and has not returned since. Lawyers for Polanski argued that forcing him to appear in the UK effectively prevents his ability to sue for libel, and unfairly allows defendants to get away with the offense. The high court is expected to issue a written decision early next year. BBC News has more.

For a one-stop snapshot of the latest legal news that matters, with breaking documents, new legal videos, live law-related webcasts, commentary by expert law professors and more - all updated through the day in real time, with no ads and no registration barriers - visit JURIST's homepage and check back often...