Roman Polanski's legal fight continues over Roger Gunson's testimony

by IANS |

Los Angeles, Aug 10 (IANS) The great legal fight of the Polish-French filmmaker Roman Polanski is far from over.

Lawyers and others with an interest in the Roman Polanski sex case are now in a tug-of-war over access to the video of former prosecutor Roger Gunson's deposition, which took place on three separate dates in 2010, reports 'Deadline'.

Gunson's testimony provided a long, highly detailed, deeply informed recap both of Polanski's crime - which involved the rape of a minor - and of alleged judicial and prosecutorial misconduct that followed it.

So far, only a written transcript of the testimony has been released. But lawyers for journalists Sam Wasson and William Rempel, who won the unsealing in a California Appeals Court decision, went back to that court July 22 with a request for existing video of the sessions.

According to 'Deadline', that request was supported by an affidavit from filmmaker Marina Zenovich, whose documentary 'Roman Polanski: Wanted and Desired' called attention to alleged misconduct by the Los Angeles legal system in handling Polanski's case.

The appeals court has said that Wasson and Rempel (plus Marina Zenovich) should properly ask the Superior Court for access to the video and accompanying exhibits.

Meanwhile, the Los Angeles district attorney's office - which ultimately did not oppose unsealing of the transcript - has indicated that it will oppose unsealing of the video, citing concern for the privacy of Gunson, who was ill at the time he testified.

'Deadline' further states that the online Superior Court records showed no sign of a motion seeking the video, but that seems likely to come, whether from lawyers for Wasson and Rempel or perhaps from attorney Harland Braun, who has represented Polanski in recent years.