Actress Charlotte Lewis loses appeal of defamation suit against Roman Polanski, whom she accuses of rape

For the lawyer of the British actress, this judgment of the court of appeal amounts to “offering Roman Polanski a form of license to kill in the media”.

British actress Charlotte Lewis lost the defamation lawsuit she filed against Roman Polanski on Wednesday, December 4. The director had described the rape accusations made by the actress as“odious lie”. The Paris Court of Appeal “confirmed the judgment undertaken” in first instance, which acquitted the 91-year-old filmmaker last May, who was also accused of sexual assault and rape by several women.

Charlotte Lewis appealed the criminal court's judgment. But the prosecution not having done so on its side, the acquittal on the criminal level had become definitive. The court of appeal had to say whether the director was still guilty of a “civil wrong” and should therefore pay him damages. The court ultimately considered that there was no civil fault.

“It’s a decision that is very questionable because it offers Roman Polanski a form of media license to kill”Charlotte Lewis' lawyer, Me Benjamin Chouai, commented to AFP. “He has the right to defame, to discredit, to smear, he will surely continue to do so against Charlotte Lewis but also surely against other women”he added, affirming that he was going to take stock with his client, who was absent when the decision was announced, to possibly appeal to the Court of Cassation.

“It is an extremely satisfactory decision, we can say that it is a great day for freedom of expression, since it has once again been confirmed and validated that when you have been accused in the press you can defend yourself in the press”on the contrary welcomed Me Delphine Meillet, lawyer for Roman Polanski. During the hearing before the Court of Appeal, it requested “in the name of what” and “accused thrown out to pasture in the public square” would not have “the same freedom of speech as his accusers”.