Danny Masterson will be remaining behind bars after an appeal of his 2023 conviction on rape charges was denied.
Deadline reports that the lawyers for the actor, a prominent Scientologist best known for his role on hit Fox sitcom “That ’70s Show,” had attempted to claim that information about the Church of Scientology had been unfairly brought into his trial and tainted the verdict by creating bias with the jury.
Claims of Bias Weren’t Proven
The three judges who heard the appeal, however, were unconvinced.
“The judgment is affirmed,” a trio of judges from the Second Appellate District ruled, rejecting Masterson’s appeal questioning the conduct of L.A. Superior Court Judge Charlaine Olmedo’s conduct during his two two trials, and the 30-year sentence he was given.
“The trial court permitted evidence that the victims had a pending civil action for damages against defendant, Scientology, and [Church of Scientology leader David] Miscavige, alleging claims of harassment and stalking,” read the 89-page ruling, which refuted Masterson’s claim that Olmedo “inappropriately allowed material about the Church, Masterson and his victims’ roles in Scientology, its inner workings and leader David Miscavige into the 2022 and 2023 cases.”
Masterson had hoped the appeal would result in either a dismissal of his sentence or a new trial. However, the judges’ ruling squashed the appeal’s central claim, that the judge allowing prosecution lawyers to introduce Scientology into their case created a bias against Masterson with the jury.
“Admission of Scientology evidence did not violate the First Amendment and was not an abuse of the trial court’s discretion,” the panel wrote, adding: “The jury in this case was not asked to determine the truth or falsity of Scientology doctrine or beliefs. Admission of Scientology evidence for those purposes did not contravene the First Amendment.”
Additionally, the panel concluded, “We reject defendant’s contention that the cumulative effect of the claimed errors identified in his appeal deprived him of due process of law and a fair trial. Because we have found none of the claimed errors to constitute individual errors, they cannot as a group constitute cumulative error.”
A 30-Year Sentence
Masterson was was arrested in 2020 following the complaints of two women who claimed he’d sexually assaulted them in his Hollywood Hills home during a period spanning from 2001 until 2003.
Masterson had been released on a bail of $3 million, but was jailed on May 31, 2023, when he was found guilty on two of three counts of sexual assault.
Both of Masterson’s accusers had been members of the Church of Scientology at the time of the alleged rapes.
While a representative of the church did not respond to a request for comment from Deadline, Masterson’s attorneys — Cliff Gardner and Eric Multhaup — told the outlet that they intend to take their case to the California Supreme Court, where they will “pursue habeas corpus relief based on substantial exculpatory evidence that was never presented to the jury.”
After this latest ruling, Masterson won’t be eligible to seek parole until 2043.
Actor Danny Masterson Loses Appeal to Overturn 2023 Rape Conviction