Court ruling on top filmmaker's defamation case

A French appeals court was yesterday set to decide whether French-Polish filmmaker Roman Polanski, pictured, owes a British actor damages after he was acquitted of allegedly defaming her when she accused him of rape.

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A Paris criminal court in May found Polanski, 91, not guilty of defaming Charlotte Lewis, 57, after he said her rape accusation was a "heinous lie".

Lewis appealed the decision, but the prosecution did not follow suit.

This means his acquittal is final, but the Paris appeals court could still decide that Polanski committed a breach of civil duty and owes Lewis damages.