Danny Masterson. Paul Archuleta/FilmMagic
Danny Masterson has been sentenced to 30 years to life in prison after he was convicted on two counts of forcible rape during his sexual assault retrial.
“Mr. Masterson, you are not the victim here. Your actions 20 years ago took away another person’s choice and voice,” the judge told Masterson, 47, on Thursday, September 7. “Your actions 20 years ago today were criminal, and that’s why you are here.”
The That 70’s Show alum was found guilty on two counts of rape during his second trial, which concluded on May 31.
“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,” Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón said in a statement at the time. “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.”
After guest appearances on various TV shows, Danny Masterson got his big break when he landed the role of Steven Hyde on That ‘70s Show. The FOX series, which premiered in 1999, followed teenagers coming of age in the fictional Wisconsin suburb of Point Place. Ashton Kutcher, Mila Kunis, Laura Prepon, Topher Grace and Wilmer Valderrama […]
The attorney 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.”
Masterson was arrested and charged with three counts of rape in 2020 after multiple women accused him of assaulting them in the early 2000s. The actor — who shares daughter Fianna, 9, with wife Bijou Phillips, whom he wed in 2011 — fervently denied the accusations.
“From day one, I have denied the outrageous allegations against me. Law enforcement investigated these claims more than 15 years ago and determined them to be without merit,” Masterson previously told Us Weekly in a December 2017 statement. “I have never been charged with a crime, let alone convicted of one. In this country, you are presumed innocent until proven guilty. However, in the current climate, it seems as if you are presumed guilty the moment you are accused.”
The Men at Work alum was written off of Netflix’s The Ranch amid the scandal, nearly two years before his first criminal trial. The court proceedings, which began in August 2022, ended in a mistrial after the jury failed to reach a unanimous verdict. Masterson’s retrial started in April, with Phillips, 43, often seen at her husband’s side.
“Bijou has been a total rock,” a source exclusively told Us in January 2022. “She fully supports him and says they’ll get through this nightmare together and come out stronger.”
The Almost Famous actress later attended the May 31 conclusion of her husband’s second trial, where she was heard audibly sobbing when the jury’s verdict was read aloud.
While Hollywood may appear to be all glitz and glam on the surface, the industry has seen its fair share of scandals through the years. The New York Times and the New Yorker first published investigative pieces that accused disgruntled movie producer Harvey Weinstein of decades of sexual assault and harassment in 2017. Soon after, Weinstein stood trial and was convicted […]
In 2019, several of Masterson’s accusers filed a lawsuit against the Church of Scientology, of which the Chicago 8 actor is a member, claiming the organization engaged in unlawful practices to obstruct justice when the allegations against Masterson were initially reported. The church responded in a statement to Us following his conviction.
“The Church has no policy prohibiting or discouraging members from reporting criminal conduct of anyone—Scientologists or not—to law enforcement. Quite the opposite, Church policy explicitly demands Scientologists abide by all laws of the land. All allegations to the contrary are totally FALSE,” read the May statement. “There is not a scintilla of evidence supporting the scandalous allegations that the Church harassed the accusers.”
If you or someone you know are experiencing domestic violence, please call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 for confidential support. If you have experienced sexual assault, call the National Sexual Assault Telephone Hotline at 1-800-656-4673 for confidential support.
