Danny Masterson Sentenced To 30 Years For Sexual Assault and Rape

(Cupventi.com) – Actor Danny Masterson, known for his role in “That ’70s Show,” received a sentence of 30 years to life in prison on Thursday for the rape of two women more than two decades ago at his residence in the Hollywood Hills.

Masterson, aged 47, displayed no visible emotion as he heard Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Charlaine Olmedo deliver the stern sentence.

Addressing Masterson directly, Judge Olmedo remarked, “Mr. Masterson, I understand that you maintain your innocence and may feel let down by a justice system that you believe has failed you, but you are not the victim in this case.”

Masterson’s wife, Bijou Phillips, a model and actress who had been a constant presence at her husband’s trials, put on sunglasses immediately after the sentence was announced. She left the courtroom without saying a word.

This substantial sentence followed Masterson’s conviction on two of the three rape charges he faced during his retrial in Los Angeles, which occurred four months earlier. The charges pertained to incidents involving three women, identified as Jane Doe #1, Jane Doe #2, and Jane Doe #3, which allegedly occurred between 2001 and 2003.

Throughout both trials, Masterson, once a popular sitcom star, did not testify. His legal team repeatedly denied the allegations of sexual assault on his behalf.

At the sentencing, Masterson remained silent as the two women he was convicted of raping, along with a former girlfriend whose rape accusation resulted in a hung jury in May, spoke out, urging the judge to impose a severe penalty.

Jane Doe #2 stated, “When you raped me, you stole from me. That’s what rape is, a theft of the spirit. You are pathetic, disturbed, and completely violent. The world is better off with you in prison.”

Jane Doe #1 expressed that Masterson “has not shown an ounce of remorse for the pain he caused” and regretted not reporting him to the police sooner.

Jane Doe #3 shared that Masterson’s actions had sentenced her to “viewing my body as a crime scene my entire life.”

In a post-sentencing statement, Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón commended the women for their bravery in coming forward and participating in the legal process, expressing hope that the sentence would bring them some peace and serve as an example to others.

One of Masterson’s lawyers, Shawn Holley, declared that the legal battle was not over and expressed confidence in the convictions being overturned through the appellate process.

Masterson’s first trial ended in a mistrial in November, with jurors leaning toward acquittal. The second trial resulted in convictions for the rapes of Jane Doe #1 and Jane Doe #2, while the jury could not reach a decision on Jane Doe #3.

All three accusers were former members of the Church of Scientology, of which Masterson is also a member. Both trials brought attention to the controversial church, with the women alleging that the church had attempted to cover up the allegations.

While Judge Olmedo emphasized that Scientology was not a defendant in the retrial, witnesses were allowed to testify that church officials had pressured them not to report the rape allegations to the police.

Scientology spokeswoman Karin Pouw repeatedly denied these allegations and asserted that church doctrine required members to obey all laws of the land.

Following Masterson’s sentencing, the Church released a statement that did not mention him by name, asserting that the prosecution’s introduction of religion into the trial was a violation of the First Amendment and that the Church was not a party to the case.