Swiss don't want secret testimony in Polanski case

GENEVA (AP) - Swiss justice officials pronounced Friday they have been not meddlesome in an attempt by Roman Polanski's U.S. lawyers to unseal tip sworn statement by his original prosecutor in Los Angeles as well as contention which in a director's fight opposite extradition to a United States.

Switzerland works upon a assumption which a extradition ask from a U.S. is based upon correct statements as well as a tip sworn statement wouldn't change that, Justice Ministry orator Folco Galli said.

Polanski's lawyers, in a suit filed Thursday in Los Angeles County Superior Court, pronounced transcripts of sworn statement by retired Deputy District Attorney Roger Gunson would prove which a extradition ask is based upon false as well as incomplete statements by a Los Angeles district attorney's office.

The lawyers claimed they need a sworn statement to contention it to Swiss authorities who have been perplexing to confirm either to extradite Polanski to Los Angeles for having sex in 1977 with a 13-year-old girl.

But Galli pronounced "such documents have been not pertinent for a extradition proceedings."

Countries which have sealed mutual extradition treaties "have to work upon a assumption which a facts in a extradition ask have been represented correctly," he told The Associated Press.

Therefore there is no need for Swiss authorities to ask any kind of proof for a calm of a extradition request, he added.

Switzerland only has to inspect either a facts of a box have been punishable underneath Swiss law as well as if there's any reason to reject an extradition, Galli said. One possible reason not to extradite would be if Polanski, 76, faces a jail sentence of reduction than six months.

It was not rught away well known how a Swiss position might stroke a lawyers' ask to Superior Court Judge Peter Espinoza. Their suit requested a May 10 hearing.

Swiss authorities arrested Polanski seven months ago as he arrived in Zur! ich to r eceive a lifetime feat award during a movie festival. The Oscar-winning executive of "Rosemary's Baby," "Chinatown" as well as "The Pianist" was imprisoned for more than dual months before being transferred upon $4.5 million bail to residence arrest during his Alpine chalet in a oppulance review of Gstaad.

A California court ruling last week pronounced a executive could not be condemned in absentia, seen as a major setback in Polanski's battle to avoid being returned to a United States after decades as a fugitive.

Swiss legal experts believe which Polanski will eventually be extradited to Los Angeles, even if months of further legal wrangling await. The executive can begin a brand new round of appeals in Swiss courts if a supervision decides to extradite him.

Galli pronounced Swiss authorities have been study a California court ruling, dampening expectations for a quick extradition decision.

Polanski was primarily accused of raping a girl after plying her with champagne as well as a Quaalude tablet during a 1977 displaying shoot. He was charged upon six felony counts, including rape by make use of of drugs, child seduction as well as sodomy, though he pleaded guilty to a lesser assign of wrong sexual intercourse.

In exchange, a judge agreed to dump a superfluous charges as well as sent him to jail for a 90-day psychiatric evaluation. According to lawyers, a judge pronounced which would be Polanski's entire sentence, though he afterwards altered his thoughts as well as pronounced he was going to impose an vague longer term in prison.

Polanski afterwards fled a U.S. upon Feb. 1, 1978, a day he was to be formally sentenced. He has lived given afterwards in France, which does not extradite the citizens.

-Source-

'Glee' star Lea Michele makes Time's top 100 list

NEW YORK (AP) -"Glee" star Lea Michele is joining a ranks of Brazil's boss as well as Lady Gaga as an honoree in Time magazine's 100 most successful people issue.

The 23-year-old triple threat co-stars as a annoyingly ambitious Rachel Berry upon a Fox network strike show, a purpose which garnered her a Best Actress nomination during a Golden Globes.

The Time issue, upon newsstands now, honors successful artists, heroes, leaders as well as thinkers.

On Tuesday, Michele will announce a 64th annual Tony nominations along with Jeff Daniels. She's starred upon Broadway in "Spring Awakening" as well as has additionally appeared in "Fiddler upon a Roof" as well as "Les Miserables."

Michele is additionally preparing for "Glee Live," a sold-out, nationwide debate which kicks off in May.

-Source-

Oprah: Drivers, put down your phones

WASHINGTON (AP) - Oprah Winfrey wants America's drivers to declare their cars "No Phone Zones."

"It's like Russian roulette each time we pick up your phone in a car," Winfrey told her viewers from Chicago upon Friday. She dedicated her TV uncover to propelling people to pointer pledges not to discuss or content from at a back of a wheel.

Safety advocates goal Winfrey's star power will move attention to a flourishing scourge of dreaming drivers, who have been blamed for an estimated 6,000 deaths as well as a half-million injuries a year.

The advocates goal to impersonate a success of reserve campaigns in a 1980s which helped reduce inebriated pushing deaths as well as increasing a make use of of chair belts.

"We need to unequivocally mangle people's bad habits," Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said during a Washington convene opposite dreaming driving. "Everybody has a bad robe of meditative they can talk upon their phone or content as well as drive, as well as we can't do it safely."

Twenty-four states as well as a District of Columbia demarcate drivers from texting at a back of a wheel; 6 states club drivers from regulating hand-held dungeon phones.

Congress is deliberation legislation to push all states to anathema texting by drivers, as well as a federal government is encouraging all states to restrict dungeon phone make use of at a back of a wheel.

Since Winfrey launched her campaign in January, more than 200,000 people have taken a pledge. They can choose one of three promises for their driving: no texting; no texting as well as only handsfree calling; or no texting or calls.

Friday's broadcast included "No Phone Zone" rallies in Detroit, Boston, Los Angeles, Atlanta as well as Washington.


-Source-