Danny Masterson, the actor renowned for his role in “That ’70s Show,” has been handed a 30-year prison sentence for two rape cases that occurred back in 2003.
During the court proceedings, California Superior Court Judge Charlaine F. Olmedo made a crucial point, stating, “Mr. Masterson, you are not the victim here.” This statement was reported by journalist Meghann Cuniff. Judge Olmedo emphasized that Masterson’s actions two decades ago deprived another person of their choice and voice, and his actions were undeniably criminal, which ultimately led to his appearance in court.
As reported by Pagesix, all of Masterson’s accusers were given the opportunity to deliver impactful statements during the hearing. One of the victims confronted Masterson directly, saying, “You like to hurt women. It’s your addiction. It is without a doubt what you like to do the most,” according to Cuniff’s account.
Actress Leah Remini, a vocal critic of Masterson, was reportedly present at the sentencing.
Masterson, known for his role in “That ’70s Show,” was sentenced to the maximum possible term. The 47-year-old actor, who had appeared in court wearing prison attire, was found guilty of his crimes in May during a retrial, following a previous trial that ended in a hung jury in November 2022. The jury’s deliberation in the retrial took seven hours.
However, in the retrial, the jury reached a consensus on only two of the three counts. The third count, relating to an individual identified as Jane Doe No. 3, was declared a mistrial and subsequently dismissed.
The three women who came forward to accuse Danny Masterson of sexual assault included one who alleged that he had raped her in the winter of 2001, when she was 23; another who claimed the rape occurred in April 2003, when she was 28 years old; and a third whose alleged incident took place during the fall and winter of 2003, when she was 23 years old. Notably, one of the accusers was a former girlfriend, and all of them were reportedly affiliated with the Church of Scientology.
According to ABC News, they initially hesitated to come forward due to alleged discouragement from the church, which purportedly discouraged its members from reporting crimes to law enforcement. Subsequently, all the accusers left the church.
Testimonies during the second trial implicated Masterson, known for his role in “Men at Work,” in drugging his victims before committing sexual assault. The ex-girlfriend claimed that she had to resort to physical force to prevent Masterson from assaulting her. Masterson pleaded not guilty in January 2021.
Danny Masterson, who is a practicing Scientologist, has been married to actress Bijou Phillips since 2011.
In June, a source told People that the star of “Raising Hope” was “shocked and devastated” by her husband’s conviction. Following the guilty verdict, Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón issued a statement commending the three courageous women who came forward, saying, “Her courage and strength have been an inspiration to all of us,” in part, back in May.
In the end, justice was served, dispelling doubts that he would evade sentencing and go unpunished.
