Academy stands behind its decision to expel Roman Polanski: 'Procedures were fair and reasonable'

Los Angeles: Academy of Motion Pictures and Sciences has replied to the lawsuit filed by director Roman Polanski after he was deposed from the organisation last May. “The procedures taken to expel Mr. Polanski were fair and reasonable. The Academy stands behind its decision as appropriate,” Variety learned from a spokesperson. Director Roman Polanski and actor Bill Cosby were expelled from the Academy, following allegations of sexual harassment on them, in last May. Later, Roman Polanski filed a lawsuit stating that his removal was unfair. [caption id=“attachment_3936361” align=“alignnone” width=“825”] Roman Polanksi[/caption] The lawsuit, filed in the state of California, states that proper protocol wasn’t followed in dismissing the director. However, the Academy at that time said that this was done “in accordance with the organisation’s Standards of Conduct”. Moreover, the suit filed by Polanski says that the decision of removing him wasn’t based on findings and the Academy’s findings aren’t backed by any evidence. Polanski’s attorney Harland Braun told Variety on Friday, “We are litigating the fairness of their procedure. They threw him out without warning and without giving him a chance to respond. There was not even any notice of why. After 40 years on the same day as [Bill] Cosby. Give me a break.” Cosby was found guilty by a Pennsylvania jury on three counts of aggravated indecent assault for drugging and sexually assaulting former Temple University basketball administrator Andrea Constand in a Philadelphia suburb in 2014. Roman pleaded guilty of raping a minor in 1977. However, he left the United States in 1978 to escape the sentence. The Oscar-winning director also has other accusation of rape on him. Last year, the Academy also expelled Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein following several allegations of sexual misconduct against him.