Celebrities: some animals are more equal...

As a society, it seems we've become quite accepting of the fact that some of us are "more equal" than the rest. Every day it seems, we hear about another case where a celebrity is let off with a lighter sentence for a crime, or is granted a "priviledge" denied to the rest.

But when is enough, enough?

Appearantly, the line is NOT drugging a 13 year old, forcibly sodomizing her , pleading guilty, then skipping out of the country.

Roman Polanski arrest: Hollywood unites in his defence (from guardian.co.uk)

The most relevent part (to me me, anyway):

Polanski fled the US in 1978 after pleading guilty to the unlawful sexual intercourse charges and faces up to 50 years in jail should LA County prosecutors commence proceedings and choose to request an extradition.

Salon probably has the best take on the whole thing here. But for those not willing to read the whole thing:

...let's take a moment to recall that according to the victim's grand jury testimony, Roman Polanski instructed her to get into a jacuzzi naked, refused to take her home when she begged to go, began kissing her even though she said no and asked him to stop; performed cunnilingus on her as she said no and asked him to stop; put his penis in her vagina as she said no and asked him to stop; asked if he could penetrate her anally, to which she replied, "No," then went ahead and did it anyway, until he had an orgasm.

Sorry for the imagery, but that's what the grand jury heard. And (at least partially) what caused Polanski to plead guilty to unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor...

Now, it's been my experience that a guilty plea (usually to a lesser charge) is a way for a guilty party to avoid a finding of "guilty" on the more serious charges. The fact that this case went before a grand jury suggests to me that Polanski intended to fight the charges, and his lawyer (hearing the prosecution's case) advised him to take a deal. After which, he skipped the country...

Personally, I don't care. Some have said he's suffered enough (after all, he wasn't able to personally accept his Oscar)... I don't see it. When you commit a crime, regardless of how "important" you are, you should do the time. Pleading guilty then skipping out before the sentencing should (in a sane world) result in enhanced sentencing.

Not in Hollyweird elites rallying to your defense.