The “That ’70s Show” actor used to be discovered accountable on two counts of rape in a retrial.
Former “That ’70s Show” actor Danny Masterson is set to be sentenced on Thursday after he used to be convicted of raping two ladies.
A Los Angeles jury discovered Masterson, 47, accountable of 2 counts of forcible rape in May all the way through a retrial of a case involving 3 ladies.
The 3rd rely in opposition to Jane Doe No. 3 used to be declared a mistrial and has since been pushed aside after prosecutors stated they wouldn’t retry Masterson on the rape price.
The probation and sentencing listening to is scheduled for 8:30 a.m. PT Thursday.
Judge Charlaine Olmedo has allowed the 3 Jane Does within the case to give sufferer affect statements on the sentencing — the 2 he used to be convicted of raping, in addition to the 3rd whose rely used to be pushed aside.
Masterson pleaded no longer accountable to 3 counts of criminal rape following accusations by means of 3 other ladies, together with a former female friend. The alleged assaults happened between 2001 and 2003. He faces up to 30 years to lifestyles in jail.
Masterson used to be deemed a possible flight chance and used to be remanded into custody following the decision.
The first trial resulted in a mistrial in November 2022, with the jury deadlocked and not able to achieve a verdict. The 3 alleged sufferers have been individuals of the Church of Scientology, as is Masterson. All 3 ladies stated they have been to begin with hesitant to discuss to legislation enforcement as a result of they stated church teachings discouraged reporting to police. The ladies ultimately left the church.
One girl claimed the actor shoved a pillow into her face in 2003 whilst raping her.
Another girl, Jane Doe No. 3, who used to be courting Masterson on the time, claimed he raped her in 2001 whilst she used to be asleep. She and Jane Doe No. 2 also are excited about a similar civil case in opposition to Masterson and the Church of Scientology.
In his remaining argument, protection legal professional Philip Cohen instructed the jury the ladies will have “tweaked or maneuvered” their tales to bolster their case, and that they will be motivated by means of “hatred, revenge or money,” KABC reported. Shortly after the jury used to be pushed aside to start deliberations on May 17, the protection requested for a mistrial — arguing that prosecutors spent an excessive amount of in their remaining arguments on the alleged drugging of the sufferers, in accordance to KABC.
Olmedo denied the request, bringing up her ruling that prosecutors may just argue the ladies have been drugged as it used to be “directly relevant to their ability to perceive the events of the charged incidents,” KABC reported.
Masterson, who used to be arrested in 2020, stated every of the encounters used to be consensual. “That ’70s Show” used to be nonetheless on the air on the time of all 3 alleged rapes.
The Church of Scientology in the past instructed ABC News that there is “no policy prohibiting or discouraging members from reporting criminal conduct of Scientologists, or of anyone, to law enforcement. … Church policy explicitly demands Scientologists abide by all laws of the land.”
post credit to Source link