American actor Danny Masterson (That 70’s show, The Ranch) was found guilty of raping two women between 2001 and 2003.
Masterson, 47, now faces up to 30 years in prison.
In 2022, a jury was unable to reach a verdict in the case against the actor involving allegations of rape by three women, and Los Angeles judge Charlaine Olmedo declared a mistrial.
But the retrial jury, made up of seven women and five men, returned a guilty verdict on two of the three charges.
They failed to reach a verdict on the third count, which alleged that Masterson raped a longtime girlfriend.
During the retrial prosecutors said Masterson forcibly raped three women at his Hollywood Hills home between 2001 and 2003. They claimed he drugged the women’s drinks to assault them, so he relied on his status of a prominent member in the Church of Scientology to avoid consequences. for decades.
Masterson, is a member of Scientology and all three women are former members.
During the defense close, attorney Philip Cohen told jurors the women’s accounts were so full of inconsistencies that there was more than enough reasonable doubt for jurors to acquit him. Prosecutors said the institution protected him and helped convince women that they had not been raped and could not go to the authorities to report a fellow Scientologist in good standing. The church has denied having such a policy.
Masterson has not been charged with any drug counts and there is no toxicological evidence to support the claim. His attorney requested a mistrial for the inclusion of the matter. The motion was denied, but the matter is likely to be a major factor in any potential appeal.
Masterson played the roles of Steven Hyde in That show from the 70sMilo foster Works in progress and Jameson “Rooster” Bennett The ranch.
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