After serving time for a r*pe conviction from 2023, former That ’70s Show star Danny Masterson is scheduled for release from jail sometime soon. At age 50, Masterson will have served four years of a 30-year sentence. The public’s reaction to Masterson’s release has been complex. Some say he’s a dangerous predator who shouldn’t be released into society, while others say he’s done enough time behind bars and deserves a second shot.
The case against Masterson received a lot of attention, and it caused some people to question Masterson’s affiliation with the Church of Scientology. The church, according to several of the women who accused Masterson of r*pe, attempted to stifle their voices. Masterson has promised to file an appeal of his conviction since he is innocent. Whether or not he is successful, the news of his release will be huge.
Danny Masterson Release Date
After being found guilty of r*pe earlier this year, Danny Masterson was given a sentence of 30 years to life in prison. Masterson, who is famous for his roles on the hit Fox sitcom “That 70’s Show” and in the Netflix comedy “The Ranch,” was facing a possible sentence of 30 years to life in jail.
The actor, who insists on his innocence, was found guilty of two of three counts of forced r*pe in May of this year. Three women have accused Masterson, who starred on “That ’70s Show,” of being r*ped at his house in the Hollywood Hills between 2001 and 2003. The jury agreed to find him guilty on two counts of r*pe in 2003, but deadlocked on a charge from November 2001 involving an ex-girlfriend, even though they were unanimous in their desire to find him guilty.
The three victims testified against Masterson before his sentencing, telling the judge that his actions had destroyed their lives. They urged that he be sentenced to life in prison. One “Jane Doe” described the performer as “a true coward and heartless monster.” From across the courtroom, Jane Doe 2 stated to Masterson, “I still have to contend with what you did to me that night. Therapy for that would have to continue forever. As soon as I start to feel better, memories of the r*pe flood back. A third Jane Doe disclosed to the court that she had been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder.
Masterson, who sat silently through his sentencing while dressed in a suit and sporting a full beard, did not provide any comments.
You’re not the victim, Mr. Masterson. Twenty years ago, because of your actions, someone else no longer had a say in their own fate. Judge Charlaine Olmedo told Masterson on Thursday in a downtown Los Angeles courtroom, “Your actions 20 years ago were criminal, and that is why you are here.” The judge gave Masterson a sentence of 15 years to life for each count, and he must serve the sentences concurrently.
Masterson was put on trial again for the same allegations in May 2023, and this time he was found guilty. After the first trial concluded in a deadlocked jury in November 2022, the judge decided to hold a fresh trial with a new panel of jurors.
The drugging allegations were the main point of contrast between the two cases. In the first trial, the ladies testified that they felt weak or woozy after consuming a drink made by Masterson and that they had trouble remembering what happened next. However, the prosecution did not directly accuse Masterson of drugging the women. Prosecutors in the retrial contended that Masterson had actually doped them.
Will the Church of Scientology be investigated for obstruction of justice in regards to Danny Masterson’s case?
“I can’t confirm or deny anything about that,” says L.A. Deputy District Attorney Reinhold Mueller. https://t.co/yJyP783h8J pic.twitter.com/Ngr4uujE1F
— Variety (@Variety) September 7, 2023
Masterson’s lawyer said to reporters outside the courthouse after the sentencing that an appeal would be filed.
Holley told the media, “The errors which occurred in this case are substantial, and unfortunately led to verdicts which are not supported by evidence.”
Shawn Holley, Danny Masterson’s attorney, says their team plans to appeal: “The errors which occurred in this case are substantial, and unfortunately led to verdicts which are not supported by evidence.” https://t.co/yJyP783h8J pic.twitter.com/ZFjfh7IZBz
— Variety (@Variety) September 7, 2023
Both trials shed light on Scientology’s controversial practices, and the verdict in the latter constituted a shocking fall from grace for a renowned celebrity adherent. Masterson had been a Scientologist his entire life, and all three of his victims were also members at the time of the attacks, but they have since left.
Leah Remini, a former member of the Church of Scientology and currently the most vocal opponent of the organization in Hollywood, was there in the courtroom to show her support for the ladies being sentenced. Remini made a lengthy social media post after Masterson’s sentencing, in which she mostly criticized Scientology.
“Sitting in court today with the women who survived Danny Masterson’s predation was a surreal experience,” she wrote on Twitter. I am happy that this dangerous rapist will no longer be able to use Scientology, a multibillion-dollar criminal organization with tax-exempt status, to help him abuse and r*pe women.
My statement on the sentencing of Scientologist Danny Masterson:
“Sitting in court today with the women who survived Danny Masterson’s predation was a surreal experience. Over the past seven decades, former Scientologists have sadly become used to Scientology using its…
— Leah Remini (@LeahRemini) September 7, 2023
At Masterson’s sentence, the three Jane Does testified that the church had discouraged them from going to the police. Throughout the trial, the prosecution maintained that Masterson used his church leadership position to r*pe women without fear of repercussion and that church policy discouraged victims from reporting s*xual assault to the police.
On Thursday, the judge heard testimony from Jane Doe 2, who claimed that she had been a “brainwashed member” of Scientology at the time of her assault and that the church had made “concerted efforts” to cover up Masterson’s behaviour. She has said that since she came forward with her charges, she has “had my privacy invaded almost daily by the cult of Scientology.”
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“Niesha and Chrissie have displayed tremendous strength and bravery, by coming forward to law enforcement and participating directly in two gruelling criminal trials,” said Alison Anderson, the attorney for Jane Doe 2 and Jane Doe 3, in a statement.
These fearless women have been holding a merciless s*xual predator accountable for his actions for quite some time, and they show no signs of slowing down. They hope to soon reveal the entire extent of the efforts made by Scientology and its supporters to silence them.
One of the women testified shortly before Masterson’s sentencing that while she can forgive the actor, she still thinks he should spend the rest of his life behind bars. For more updates join us on our Twitter account.