California Appeals Court Upholds Danny Masterson Rape Convictions
A California appeals court has upheld the rape convictions and 30-year prison sentence for actor Danny Masterson, rejecting his bid for a new trial.
POLICY WIRE — Los Angeles, USA — A California appeals court ruled on Tuesday to maintain the rape convictions and lengthy prison sentence handed down to actor Danny Masterson for assaulting two women at his residence in 2003.
In an 89-page decision, a three-judge panel unanimously determined that the former That ‘70s Show star failed to prove that the lower court committed legal errors requiring a new trial. The panel also dismissed a petition from Masterson alleging that he received ineffective assistance of counsel.
Masterson, 50, is currently serving a sentence of 30 years to life at the California Men’s Colony in San Luis Obispo. He will not be eligible for parole for at least two decades.
The actor’s legal team stated via email on Tuesday that they intend to seek a review of the decision from the California Supreme Court. The appeals court rejected several arguments from the defense, including claims that the trial court was biased against Masterson’s religion and that the case violated the 10-year statute of limitations for forcible rape.
Masterson is a prominent member of the Church of Scientology, and his accusers are former members who testified that they felt discouraged by the institution from reporting the assaults to law enforcement. The Church of Scientology has consistently denied the existence of any such policy.
Masterson’s initial trial in 2022 resulted in a deadlocked jury, but he was convicted during a retrial the following year. Before his legal troubles, he was a well-known television actor, appearing alongside Ashton Kutcher, Mila Kunis, and Topher Grace in That ’70s Show and later in the Netflix series The Ranch.
Reporting by Policy-Wire (PW)
