Polanski Taunt Brought DA Down on Him

Roman Polanski may have his own lawyers to thank for his current predicament. This summer, in an attempt to get the charges against the director dropped, they told an appellate court that prosecutors weren’t actually trying to catch him, because they were afraid to face old misconduct allegations. That ticked off the DA’s office, which says it's made several attempts to nab the fugitive.

That may shed light on why Polanski has suddenly been arrested, after decades spent openly traveling around Europe, including Switzerland. “He’s one of the most visible public figures in Europe,” says his agent. “This is not a case of someone being one step ahead of the law.” What set this Switzerland trip apart was that it was his first highly-publicized appearance since his lawyers filed those offending court documents. (More Roman Polanski stories.)