Actor Danny Masterson has been sentenced to a term of 30 years to life in prison for raping two women.
Celebrated for his portrayal in the hit TV show That '70s Show, Masterson received his prison sentence following a hearing in Los Angeles Superior Court on Thursday.
During the proceedings, Judge Charlaine F. Olmedo attentively considered the testimonies of the women he sexually assaulted over two decades ago, during the peak of his career.
"When you raped me, you stole from me," one of the accusers, identified as N. Trout, said in a statement that was read aloud in the courtroom, while the 47-year-old actor, who has been in custody since May, sat in his suit without showing any visible reaction. "That's what rape is, a theft of the spirit."
After years of mistrials, 'That '70s Show' star Danny Masterson has been sentenced to 30 years to life behind bars for raping two women
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The second woman, identified as Jen B., who was also a victim of rape by Masterson in 2003, stated that Masterson "has not shown an ounce of remorse for the pain he caused".
Jen B., who initially sought permission from the church to report the assault, received a written response from the church's international chief justice that referenced a 1965 policy letter. This response raised concerns for her as it suggested she could face ostracization from her family and friends if she reported a fellow Scientologist to the police. Nevertheless, she chose to report the rape in 2004.
Prosecutors contended that Masterson had utilized his prominent status within the Church of Scientology to evade responsibility and accountability.
After being charged with three counts of rape dating back to 2001-2003, in June 2020, the 47-year-old was found guilty of two counts of forcible rape
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In May, Masterson was convicted of sexually assaulting two women at his residence in the Hollywood Hills during the early 2000s. The jury was unable to reach a verdict on a charge that accused the actor of raping a third woman.
The jury also heard testimony that Masterson had given drugs to his victims before committing the assaults.
This mixed verdict came after a previous trial in November where the jury failed to reach a decision on all three charges, leading to a mistrial. During the retrial this spring, which spanned over a month, Masterson was ultimately found guilty of two counts of rape involving force or fear.
As the judge pronounced the maximum allowable sentence - 30 years to life in prison - Masterson's wife, Bijou Phillips, was seen breaking down in tears. His siblings, The Walking Dead actor Alanna Masterson, Malcolm In the Middle star Christopher Masterson, and actor Jordan Masterson, were all seated together.
According to court documents, Masterson had given drugs to his victims before committing the assaults in his home in the Hollywood Hills
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“Though we have great respect for the jury, and for our system of justice, sometimes they get it wrong — and that’s what happened here," Shawn Holley, Masterson's attorney, conveyed to reporters outside the courtroom.
Ms. Holley expressed her profound disappointment with the sentence and highlighted that a team of lawyers had thoroughly examined the case, identifying “a number of significant evidentiary and constitutional issues” that they plan to use in appeals in the future.
At the time of the assaults, Masterson and all three of his accusers were affiliated with the Church of Scientology. Some of the women mentioned that it took them years to muster the courage to come forward because Church of Scientology representatives discouraged them from reporting the rapes to law enforcement.
"Since the week I came forward to police, I have been terrorized, harassed and had my privacy invaded daily by the cult of Scientology for almost seven years now," one of the victims claimed.
“Los Angeles will no longer be a hunting ground for Hollywood elite who feel entitled to prey on women,” the LA district attorney said after the trial
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However, the Church itself has maintained that there is no valid reason to link Scientology to the case. "The church has no policy prohibiting or discouraging members from reporting criminal conduct of anyone - Scientologists or not - to law enforcement," Scientology representatives said in a statement, adding that the "testimony and descriptions of Scientology beliefs" during the trial were "uniformly false".
According to court documents, it was revealed that Scientology officials informed one of the survivors that she would risk losing her membership within the community unless she agreed to sign a non-disclosure agreement and accepted a payment of $400,000. This information was disclosed by prosecutors during the legal proceedings.
“Justice was finally served today,” George Gascón, the Los Angeles district attorney, told The New York Times reporters after the proceedings, adding that he hopes that “Los Angeles will no longer be a hunting ground for Hollywood elite who feel entitled to prey on women.”
At the sentencing, Leah Remini — a former Scientologist, who is Hollywood’s most prominent critic of the church — released a statement on social media that quickly went viral.
“Sitting in court today with the women who survived Danny Masterson’s predation was a surreal experience,” Remini tweeted. “I am relieved that this dangerous rapist will be off the streets and unable to violently assault and rape women with the help of Scientology, a multi-billion-dollar criminal organization with tax-exempt status.”
According to the victims, Masterson used his prominent status within the Church of Scientology to get away with his crimes
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“I don’t have to carry around your shame around with me. Now, you have to carry it. You have to sit in a cell and carry it,” one of the victims said in the courtroom, according to Variety.
“Your emptiness and your cowardice will be your true legacy. You are pathetic, disturbed and extremely violent. The world is safer with you behind bars.”
Speaking about the sensitive matter with Esquire earlier this year, That '70s Show co-star Ashton Kutcher, conveyed his hope for Masterson’s innocence. “I don’t want him to elude the law, but I wish for the truth to show he's innocent."
Ashton openly admitted his inability to make a judgment regarding his co-star's guilt, stating, “I can’t know… I’m not the judge, the jury, the DA, the victim, or the accused. I’m in no position to comment. I genuinely don’t know.”
Masterson will be eligible for parole in 20 years - by the time he will be in his late 60s - as confirmed by the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office.
People online applauded the jury and the judge for delivering the appropriate verdict
