California court rejects Roman Polanski's bid to have sex case dismissed

LOS ANGELES: A California appeals court on Monday denied an attempt by attorneys representing Roman Polanski to have a sex charge against the film director dismissed on grounds of judicial misconduct.
But in its ruling, the California Second District Court of Appeal said it did not disregard the "extremely serious allegations" raised in the case and urged the parties to "take steps to investigate and to respond to the claims."
Oscar-winning director Polanski, whose work includes "Chinatown" and "The Pianist," is under house arrest in Switzerland, where he is being held in a more than 30-year-old case in which he pleaded guilty to having unlawful sex with a minor.But in 1978, Polanski fled the United States before he could be formally sentenced.