- Danny Masterson was found guilty of raping two women and was given 30 years to life in prison.
- Los Angeles Police Department charges followed a three-year investigation.
- Both Masterson and all three of his accusers were Scientologists at the time of the assaults.
US actor Danny Masterson was found guilty of raping two women and was given a sentence of 30 years to life in prison. Three women testified that the That ’70s Show actor sexually abused them at his Hollywood home between 2001 and 2003, and he was found guilty of the offenses. He gave them drugs before the assault, according to testimony presented to the jury.
The accusations made by the third complainant were declared a mistrial, and the prosecution indicated they had no plans to retry the case. Masterson was convicted guilty of rape against two of his three victims.
Danny Masterson
According to Alison Anderson, a lawyer for two of the victims, the ladies “have displayed tremendous strength and bravery by coming forward to law enforcement and directly participating in two grueling criminal trials.” The ladies, she continued, “will keep speaking out” on the alleged part the Church played in their alleged abuse.
The #MeToo movement was at its height when Masterson was first accused of rape. Los Angeles Police Department charges followed a three-year investigation.
The Church of Scientology has unequivocally denied any involvement in helping to conceal the attacks, as claimed by the prosecution. Both Masterson and all three of his accusers were Scientologists at the time of the assaults.
Many of the women claimed it took them years to come forward as Church of Scientology leaders had reportedly advised against reporting the rape to the authorities.
Jessica Barth, the person responsible for starting Voices in Action after the #MeToo movement, was there for the sentence. Her nonprofit promotes others’ willingness to come out and report abuse.