Danny Masterson Sentenced To 30 Years+ In Prison For Rape
Danny Masterson, known for playing Steven Hyde in That ’70s Show, will be serving 30 years to life in prison for raping two women more than two decades ago at his Hollywood Hills home. Per NBC News, the 47-year-old actor was hit with the sentence four months after he was convicted on two of the three rape counts he faced at his 2020 retrial in Los Angeles.
It is reported that Masterson did not take the stand at either of his trials and has repeatedly denied sexually assaulting the women. Three women, identified at trial as Jane Doe #1, Jane Doe #2, and Jane Doe #3, were raped by the former popular sitcom star between 2001 to 2003. The women are also all former members of the Church of Scientology. Masterson still belongs to that church. Masterson’s first trial ended in November 2022 with a mistrial, with jurors leaning toward acquittal (the prosecution has failed to prove that the accused is guilty beyond a reasonable doubt of the charge presented). His second trial ended with the actor being convicted of raping Jane Doe #1 and Jane Doe #2, but not Jane Doe #3.
Scientology and Family
Both trials focused on the controversial Church of Scientology. The women have accused the Church of Scientology of trying to cover up the allegations. At the retrial, Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Charlaine Olmedo stressed that Scientology was not a defendant. However, she allowed witnesses to testify that church officials pressured them not to talk to police about the rape allegations. Scientology spokeswoman Karin Pouw has repeatedly denied those allegations and insisted that church doctrine requires members to “abide by all the laws of the land.”
Danny Masterson has been married to Bijou Phillips, daughter of The Mamas & The Papas lead musician John Phillips, since 2011. He started dating Phillips in 2004, and they got engaged in 2009. They have a daughter named Fianna Francis Masterson who was born in February 2014.
https://www.instagram.com/p/Ce-l_UTuypj/
