Polanski hearing puts focus on prosecutors conduct
2009 LOS ANGELES
Marina Zenovich spent years on documentary about Roman Polanski.
Attorneys quote heavily from movie in an effort to get the case against fugitive director dismissed.
02.17.2009
When a hearing gets underway this afternoon in Roman Polanski's attempt to have a 1977 child sex case against him dismissed, documentary filmmaker Marina Zenovich will take a seat in the jury box alongside her cameraman.
The Los Angeles County district attorney's office opposed even putting the hearing on the court calendar because of Polanski's fugitive status.
Zenovich said she had tried to remain impartial, but was frustrated by the prosecution's emphasis on challenging Polanski's legal standing to protest his case, rather than the allegations of judicial and prosecutorial misconduct.
"I am shocked at how the facts are just being ignored," she said.
Sandi Gibbons, a spokeswoman for the district attorney's office, declined to comment on the role of Zenovich's film.
"A lot of that stuff I said was just off the top of my head," said David Wells, the former prosecutor.
Zenovich was first drawn to the case six years ago by a Times article discussing whether Polanski would return to the U.S. if "The Pianist" -- a film he directed -- was nominated for an Academy Award.
Polanski won an Academy Award for his film, but did not return to accept it.
She said Polanski phoned her after the movie was released.
"He thanked me for having courage to make the film," she said.
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