Danny Masterson, the former “That ’70s Show” actor, was found guilty on two counts in his recent rape retrial.
The jury, consisting of seven men and five women, deliberated for eight days before reaching their verdicts. However, they were unable to reach a unanimous decision on a third charge.
No date has been set for his sentencing yet, but Masterson and his lawyers have been instructed to return to court on August 4 for a hearing.
This was Masterson’s second trial within a span of six months, as the first trial ended in a mistrial. The allegations against him involved three counts of rape by force or fear, relating to incidents that occurred between 2001 and 2003 at his Hollywood Hills home. Initially, Masterson faced a potential prison sentence of up to 45 years if found guilty on all three counts.
Upon hearing the verdict, Masterson’s wife, Bijou Phillips, was overcome with emotion and wept as he was led away. Meanwhile, his family and friends maintained a stoic demeanor.
In response to the verdict, one of the women who Masterson was convicted of raping in 2003 expressed a range of emotions, including relief, exhaustion, strength, and sadness.
In a statement provided by attorneys with Boies Schiller Flexner to Fox News Digital, she stated, “I am experiencing a complex array of emotions — relief, exhaustion, strength, sadness — knowing that my abuser, Danny Masterson, will face accountability for his criminal behavior.”
Another individual identified as Jane Doe also commented on the outcome, expressing gratitude to the jury for their service. While she acknowledged the criminal punishment Masterson would face, she expressed devastation that he had evaded criminal accountability for his actions against her.
Jane Doe remained determined to seek justice through civil court, along with her co-plaintiffs, shining a light on how Scientology and other individuals enabled and attempted to conceal Masterson’s reprehensible conduct.
Deputy District Attorney Ariel Anson delivered the closing arguments on May 16, emphasizing that the defendant drugged his victims to gain control over them. Anson asserted that Masterson took away their ability to consent, making choices for them against their will.
He further highlighted the repetitive nature of these actions, stating, “You don’t want to have sex? You don’t have a choice. The defendant makes that choice for these victims. And he does it over and over and over again.”
In defense of Masterson, his attorney, Philip Cohen, focused on the inconsistencies in the women’s testimonies, arguing that the district attorney downplayed these discrepancies. Cohen emphasized the importance of these inconsistencies in establishing reasonable doubt regarding Masterson’s guilt.
He said, “What she views as little inconsistencies are at the heart of trying to determine, ‘Is somebody reliable, credible, believable enough for a criminal conviction?'”
Cohen had previously filed a motion in January seeking to dismiss the counts, citing that a retrial would not substantially differ from the previous trial, making a different outcome unlikely.
The mistrial was declared by Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Charlaine F. Olmedo in November due to the jurors being “hopelessly deadlocked” in reaching a unanimous decision.
Masterson had been arrested in June 2020 and had been free on a $3.3 million bond throughout the legal proceedings. He pleaded not guilty to the charges and has maintained his innocence.
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