Bail Approved For Polanski; Director Kept in Jail Pending Appeal

A court in Zurich has approved Roman Polanski's bail request, which they've set at $4.5 million. Under the deal, he'd be allowed to leave the alpine prison that holds him and return to his Swiss chalet at the Gstaad ski resort, where he'd be under house arrest and subject to 24-hour electronic surveillance. Until the Swiss Justice Ministry decides whether or not to appeal the court's decision, however, he remains in jail. The 76-year-old is considered a flight risk, but the court concluded the amount is high enough to discourage him from skipping out a second time on justice. Presiding Judge Cornelia Cova wrote this in his decision: "As a responsible family father and with regard to his advanced age, the value of financial security for his family has a greater meaning than for a relatively younger person." The Los Angeles County district attorney's office declined comment, as did Polanski's own attorney. The U.S. made a formal request for extradition on Oct. 22nd. Developing...

· Polanski Is Granted $4.5 Million Bail by Swiss Court [Bloomberg/AP]