Masterson to Serve 30 Years After California Court Rejects Appeal
A three-judge panel dismissed all arguments regarding trial errors and religious freedom, confirming the actor's prison term.
By Alina Carter ·
Danny Masterson will remain in prison for at least 30 years after a California appeals court rejected his attempt to overturn his 2023 rape convictions. The Second District Court of Appeal issued its ruling on Tuesday, leaving the original sentence intact.
The three-judge panel reviewed an 89-page decision and unanimously concluded that the actor, now 50, failed to prove the trial court made errors serious enough to warrant a new trial. The court turned down every argument raised by his legal team during the appeal process.
Masterson, best known for his role on the television series That '70s Show, was found guilty in 2023 on two counts of rape involving women in 2003. This verdict resulted from a retrial after a deadlocked jury ended his first trial in 2022. Jurors in the second trial also failed to reach a verdict on a separate count involving a third woman who alleges she was raped in 2001.
The accusers were members of the Church of Scientology at the time of the alleged assaults. They testified that church officials told them they had not been raped and warned them against reporting a member of such high standing to law enforcement. They stated this process caused them to hesitate before going to police.
During the appeal, attorneys argued that Masterson was denied his First Amendment right to the free exercise of religion. They also claimed the trial judge showed hostility toward Scientology. The panel disagreed, stating that the judge's remarks showed no animus or departure from neutrality. The court noted that jurors were not asked to decide whether Scientology beliefs were true or false.
The judges also rejected arguments concerning the statute of limitations and evidentiary rulings. They denied a separate habeas corpus petition that claimed Masterson did not receive an adequate defense. Representatives for Masterson had not responded to inquiries by publication time.
Appellate attorneys Cliff Gardner and Eric Multhaup said in a statement to Variety that they plan to appeal to the California Supreme Court. They also intend to pursue a separate petition regarding the case.
