French-Polish filmmaker Roman Polanski has won the libel trial over abuse allegations against him. The Paris criminal court on Tuesday acquitted the 90-year-old of charges brought by British actress Charlotte Lewis. The Oscar winner (“The Pianist”) was not present when the verdict was announced.
Lewis had sued Polanski, who in an interview with the weekly magazine “Paris Match” dismissed her allegations of sexual assault as a “vile lie.” “The basic quality of a good liar is an excellent memory,” the filmmaker said in the 2019 release Conversation.
Lewis claimed at a press conference in 2010 that the “Rosemary’s Baby” director raped her in 1983. The now 56-year-old was 16 years old at the time. However, she had not filed a lawsuit against Polanski. The Brit starred in the 1986 adventure film “Pirates” under his direction.
The public prosecutor’s office had already reminded in advance that the court ruling would not decide on the truth of the alleged rape or on the authenticity of quotes attributed to the actress. It was more about whether Polanski had abused his freedom of expression or not.