Roman Polanksi Sues the French Media for Invasion of Privacy

Roman Polanski is suing the French media for privacy invasion including a paper that released a photo of Roman under house arrest at his Swiss Alpine chalet.

A French paper ran a photo of Roman standing at a window of his Swiss Alpine chalet because they believed it was newsworthy in showing the director's life under house arrest, the Associated Press reports.

However, Roman's lawyers say the December 2009 photo, as well as others, are an invasion of Roman and his family's privacy. Roman and his wife are suing four fFench publications, including two newspapers and two magazines, for a total of approximately $217,215.

Marion Gregoire, Roman's lawyer, said in a hearing Tuesday that the lawsuits were an attempt "to put an urgent stop to the media spotlight" on Roman and his family.

Several of photos do show Roman's children, Elvis and Morgane, and as minors they are protected by French media law.

In the hearing Tuesday, Roman's lawyer said he has a deeply rooted fear of the media ever since his pregnant second wife, Sharon Tate, was stabbed to death in 1969 and rumors were spread in the press before the killers were found.

The lawyer for the paper that released the photo of Roman at the window, Christophe Bigot, said, "Can you seriously claim in this context that if you stand at the window you won't get your picture taken?"

Decisions in Roman's suits against the French media are expected Jan. 19.