A French court clears director Polanski of defaming a British actor who accused him of rape

By JOHN LEICESTER
Associated Press

PARIS (AP) — A French court has ruled that filmmaker Roman Polanski did not defame a British actor who accused him of raping her as a teenager. The case stems from a 2019 interview with Paris Match magazine where Polanski called Charlotte Lewis a liar following her accusations. The court’s ruling did not address the truth of the rape allegation but focused solely on whether Polanski’s comments constituted defamation. The 90-year-old director known for classics such as “Rosemary’s Baby,” “Chinatown” and “The Pianist” has faced several other accusations of sexual assault that allegedly occurred over several decades.