11:36 AM PST -- Roman Polanski's attorney, Harland Braun, tells TMZ ... "The murder of Polanski's wife and unborn son still remains too painful for him to make a statement. He hopes someday to correct the legal proceedings in L.A. so that he can visit their graves at Holy Cross Cemetery."

Roman Polanski -- who was married to Sharon Tate when the Manson Family slaughtered her and their unborn child -- remained deeply involved in the Manson case right up until Manson's death.

Debra Tate tells us, as soon as she got word from the prison that Manson was dead, she contacted the famed director. She says he's been closely following the machinations of the Manson case, especially the various parole hearings.

Debra also surprisingly says Manson is the lesser of the evils in the notorious Family.