That ’70s Show star Danny Masterson has been convicted of two counts of rape. This comes six months after the actor’s first trial was declared a mistrial. Jurors deliberated for more than six days before finding Masterson guilty of two counts of rape by force or fear. The jury was deadlocked on the third victim. Sentencing is set for August 4th and Masterson could face up to 30 years to life in state prison.
“We want to express our gratitude to the three women who came forward and bravely shared their experiences. Their courage and strength have been an inspiration to us all.” District Attorney Gascón said in a statement. “While we are disappointed that the jury did not convict on all counts, we respect their decision. The verdicts handed down by the jury in this case were undoubtedly a difficult one to reach and we thank the jurors for their service.” Gascón continued, “We also recognize that preventing sexual assault is critical and we will continue to educate the public on the importance of consent, healthy relationships, and bystander intervention. We believe that by working together, we can create a safer and more just society for all.“
Rape allegations against Danny Masterson emerged in 2017, which led to him being fired from The Ranch, the Netflix comedy series he starred in alongside Ashton Kutcher. In June 2020, he was officially charged with raping a 23-year-old woman in 2001, a 28-year-old woman in early 2003, and a 23-year-old woman in late 2003. Danny Masterson has denied all of the rape allegations against him and didn’t testify at either trial.
All three women, as well as Danny Masterson, were members of the Church of Scientology when the alleged assaults took place. Some of the women said that they were discouraged from contacting law enforcement by church officials, and they also feared that their family members would be excommunicated and labelled “suppressive persons” if they took action.
Ashton Kutcher had hoped that his former co-star would be “found innocent of the charges brought against him” in a January Esquire profile. “Ultimately, I can’t know…I’m not the judge,” Kutcher said. “I’m not the jury. I’m not the DA. I’m not the victim. And I’m not the accused. And so, in that case, I don’t have a space to comment…I just don’t know.“