The Los Angeles jury for the rape retrial of actor Danny Masterson delivered responsible verdicts for 2 out of three rape counts in opposition to the That ’70s Present star Wednesday.
The convictions got here after practically two weeks of deliberation. The jury couldn’t attain a unanimous verdict on the third rely, which alleged Masterson raped a longtime girlfriend. They’d voted 8-4 in favour of conviction.
Masterson, 47, who pleaded not responsible to all prices of rape in opposition to him, was led out of the courtroom in handcuffs. He now faces as much as 30 years in jail.
No sentencing date has but been set, however the decide informed Masterson and his legal professionals to return to courtroom Aug. 4 for a listening to. Masterson shall be held with out bail till he’s sentenced.
His spouse, actor and mannequin Bijou Phillips, wept as he was led away. Different household and associates sat stone-faced.
“I’m experiencing a fancy array of feelings — aid, exhaustion, power, unhappiness — figuring out that my abuser, Danny Masterson, will face accountability for his felony habits,” one of many girls, whom Masterson was convicted of raping at his residence in 2003, mentioned in a press release.
The lady whose rely left the jury deadlocked mentioned within the assertion: “Whereas I’m inspired that Danny Masterson will face some felony punishment, I’m devastated that he has dodged felony accountability for his heinous conduct in opposition to me.”
The convictions come after final yr’s authentic trial on the identical three counts led to a mistrial when a jury deadlocked, failing to succeed in unanimous verdicts. Prosecutors shortly moved to carry a retrial.
In the course of the second trial this yr, deputy district lawyer Reinhold Mueller and his workforce tried to color Masterson as a serial rapist who has been protected by high-ranking officers within the Church of Scientology. (Masterson and his household are all members of the church.) They claimed Masterson, on separate events, put medication into the drinks of a longtime girlfriend and two different girls he knew via the church earlier than he raped them.
Direct dialogue of drugging was lacking from final yr’s authentic trial, with Mueller as an alternative having to suggest it via the testimony of the ladies, who mentioned they have been woozy, disoriented and at occasions unconscious on the nights they described the actor raping them. Decide Charlaine F. Olmedo allowed the direct assertion on the retrial.
Masterson didn’t face any drug-related prices.
Legal professionals for either side acknowledged that there isn’t any forensic proof of any substances Masterson could have given the ladies as a result of the police investigation that led to the 2 trials didn’t start till about 15 years after the occasions.
Actor Leah Remini, a former Scientologist, mentioned she has been visiting the Los Angeles courtroom all through the trial. The retrial has garnered ample consideration from the general public partly due to Remini’s outspoken commentary.
On Could 11, she shared information of an alleged discovery materials leak to Twitter and wrote that the church had “no motive in any respect” to own the knowledge.
“Scientology, which SHOULD be a co-defendant on this trial, has repeatedly lied, saying it has no covert involvement on this trial,” Remini, 52, accused in a protracted thread.
Remini, who left the Church of Scientology in 2013, mentioned the obvious leak was proof the church was “colluding” with Masterson and his legal professionals.
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“There may be nothing Scientology and Scientologists gained’t do to infiltrate authorities places of work, organizations, and establishments,” she wrote. “There’s nothing Scientology gained’t do to acquire the intel it wants to guard itself. It has actually been Scientology coverage for seven many years.”
Masterson didn’t testify, and his legal professionals known as no witnesses. The protection argued that the acts have been consensual, and tried to discredit the ladies’s tales by highlighting adjustments and inconsistencies over time, which they mentioned confirmed indicators of coordination between them.
“In the event you determine {that a} witness intentionally lied about one thing on this case,” protection lawyer Philip Cohen informed jurors, going via their directions in his closing argument, “It is best to take into account not believing something that witness says.”
Testimony on this case was graphic and emotional.
Two girls, who knew Masterson from social circles within the church, mentioned he gave them drinks and that they then turned woozy or handed out earlier than he violently raped them in 2003.
The third, Masterson’s then-girlfriend of 5 years, mentioned she awoke to seek out him raping her, and needed to pull his hair to cease him.
The difficulty of drugging additionally performed a significant position within the retrial. On the first, Olmedo solely allowed prosecutors and accusers to explain their disorientation, and to suggest that they have been drugged. The second time, they have been allowed to argue it immediately, and the prosecution tried to make it a significant component, to no avail.
“The defendant medication his victims to realize management,” Deputy District Lawyer Ariel Anson mentioned in her closing argument. “He does this to remove his victims’ means to consent.”
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In the event you or somebody is experiencing abuse or is concerned in an abusive state of affairs, please go to the Canadian Useful resource Centre for Victims of Crime for assist. They’re additionally reachable toll-free at 1-877-232-2610.
— with information from The Related Press
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