Roman Polanski Update

Roman Polanski's extradition is very likely, according to Swiss Legal experts.

The controversial, though sometimes genius director, famous for "Rosemary's Baby," "Chinatown," "The Pianist" and most recently the brilliant "The Ghost Writer" (which he completed while under house arrest), will likely face the music soon.

"Roman Polanski's loss of a crucial California court decision sets up his return to the United States more than three decades after he fled a statutory rape charge, Swiss legal experts said Friday.

"However, they predicted months of further legal wrangling before extradition.

"Caught up in the complexity and political sensitivity of the case, Switzerland has yet to issue a decision on delivering the fugitive Oscar-winning filmmaker to Los Angeles prosecutors nearly seven months after his arrest.

"Swiss authorities have cited the voluminous paperwork and said they would wait out a California court's examination of whether Polanski could be sentenced in absentia for having sex in 1977 with a 13-year-old girl.

"But the U.S. court rejected Polanski's sentencing request Thursday without an opinion. While his attorneys could still appeal to the California Supreme Court, legal experts saw little basis for Swiss authorities to reject handing over Polanski.

"'Extradition is likely now,' said Dieter Jann, a former Zurich prosecutor. 'Not much has changed, and Switzerland has a legal obligation here.'"

Read the entire report, including responses from Polanski's lawyer here.