The US actor Danny Masterson (47, “That 70’s Show”) has been found guilty of rape. After more than six days of deliberations, twelve jurors returned their verdict on Wednesday in Los Angeles. They found Masterson guilty of raping two women in 2003, prosecutors said. In a third case of allegations of rape by another woman, the jury could not agree on a unanimous verdict.
The sentence is to be announced in early August, according to the public prosecutor’s office he faces 30 years to life imprisonment. He was taken out of the courtroom in handcuffs. Los Angeles District Attorney George Gascón thanked the three plaintiffs for their “courage and strength” in sharing their experiences in court. It is crucial to prevent sexual assault.
It was the second case against the actor. The previous criminal trial ended in November without a result. At the time, the jury could not reach a unanimous verdict in any of the three cases. The responsible judge then declared a so-called mistrial (“Mistrial”). The prosecution reopened the case. Masterson was free on bail in the millions pending a guilty verdict on Wednesday. The actor had always rejected the allegations and pleaded “not guilty”. All sexual acts were consensual, the actor asserted.
The police investigation began in 2017. Among the plaintiffs was a former girlfriend of the actor. The women described similar circumstances, that Masterson drugged and then raped them in his home. The controversial Scientology organization, which describes itself as a church, was also addressed in the proceedings. Masterson is a prominent member, at times the plaintiffs also belonged to the organization, such as the film portal Hollywood reporters reported. Masterson has been married to actress Bijou Phillips since 2011. The couple have a daughter. The actor became known with the comedy series “That 70 Years Show”, in which he played Steven Hyde from 1998 to 2006, who always wore sunglasses.