Reply #47: We may agree, if by not accept he was not going to abide by the terms

[madmusic]

The judge could reject the plea but Polanski has reason to believe the judge was going to sentence him to 40 years or something, far more than the time served he expected or the 16 months, 2 or 3 years provided for based on his guilty plea charge.

In other words, the judge was going to sentence him as if he plead guilty to charges he did not plead guilty to. If the judge was simply going to reject the plea, Polanski would have plenty of time to work out another plea deal or other strategies. No need to flee.