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French Court Upholds Roman Polanski's Acquittal in Defamation Case

The Paris appeals court ruled that Polanski did not defame actress Charlotte Lewis, rejecting her claims for damages.

  • Roman Polanski, 91, was acquitted of defamation charges filed by British actress Charlotte Lewis, who accused him of calling her rape allegations a 'heinous lie.'
  • The Paris appeals court upheld a lower court's May ruling, concluding Polanski did not breach civil duty and owes no damages to Lewis.
  • Lewis accused Polanski of raping her in 1983 when she was 16, but the defamation case focused solely on whether Polanski's comments in a 2019 interview constituted libel.
  • Lewis's lawyer criticized the decision as enabling Polanski to undermine accusers publicly, while Polanski's legal team hailed it as a victory for freedom of expression.
  • Polanski remains a controversial figure, facing accusations of sexual assault from multiple women and being wanted in the U.S. for a 1977 case involving a 13-year-old.
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