California appeals court upholds actor Danny Masterson’s rape convictions
The panel rejected claims of judicial bias, statute-of-limitations errors and ineffective counsel, leaving Masterson’s 30-year-to-life sentence intact.
- On Tuesday, a three-justice panel from the California 2nd District Court of Appeal upheld actor Danny Masterson's rape conviction, confirming his 30-year prison sentence and rejecting all defense arguments to overturn the verdict.
- Masterson was found guilty in 2023 of raping two women at his Hollywood Hills home in 2003. His appeal argued that Judge Charlaine Olmedo showed bias by allowing extensive Church of Scientology evidence, which the panel rejected.
- The appeals panel also denied Masterson's habeas corpus petition alleging ineffective counsel. Justices found that Scientology evidence was relevant to explain the victims' delayed reporting and their Church interactions, refuting claims of unfair judicial conduct.
- With the appeal denied, Masterson remains at the California Men's Colony in San Luis Obispo. He is ineligible for parole until 2042 and continues serving his 30-year sentence.
- This ruling concludes the criminal appeals process for a case centered on allegations that Scientology retaliated against victims for reporting assaults. Masterson was charged in 2020, with the 2023 retrial securing convictions on two rape counts.
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Histrion and comedian, known for his role in the That '70s Show, has repeatedly denied having committed any crime
My Mother Lode
The Seattle TimesCalifornia appeals court upholds actor Danny Masterson’s rape convictions
A California appeals court has upheld actor Danny Masterson’s convictions and long prison sentence for raping two women at his home in 2003. The three-judge panel on Tuesday unanimously found that the “That ’70s Show” actor had failed to demonstrate that the lower court made errors that would warrant granting him a new trial. Masterson was convicted in 2023 of raping two women at his home two decades earlier. He was sentenced to 30 years to life…
'That '70s show' actor Danny Masterson's rape convictions upheld by California appeals court
A three-judge panel unanimously found that the “That ’70s Show” actor had failed to demonstrate that the lower court made errors that would warrant granting him a new trial. Here's what to know
Court Upholds Masterson’s Rape Convictions, Sentence
California appeals court unanimously upholds Danny Masterson’s 2023 rape convictions and 30-years-to-life sentence; lawyers will seek state Supreme Court review. · 17 sources across the spectrum on IJR News.
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