Danny Masterson has lost his appeal against his rape conviction, with a California appellate court upholding his 2023 conviction and 30-years-to-life prison sentence.
According to an 89-page opinion, the court rejected all 11 of the actor’s arguments challenging his conviction on Tuesday (Oct. 27).
The 50-year-old argued that evidence related to Scientology unfairly influenced the jury. However, the court disagreed, noting that jurors were not tasked with evaluating Scientology’s teachings. It also dismissed his argument that too much time had elapsed before the case was prosecuted, ruling that the law permits charges involving the forcible rape of multiple victims to proceed without a time limit.
The former That ’70s Show star was convicted in 2023 of forcibly raping two women, identified in court documents as J.B. and N.T., at his Hollywood Hills home in 2003. Jurors were unable to reach a unanimous verdict on a separate allegation involving his former girlfriend, C.B., concerning an incident in 2001.
The ruling also details testimony from several victims and witnesses who appeared during Masterson’s trial. J.B. and N.T. testified that Masterson forcibly raped them at his Hollywood Hills residence in 2003 after they consumed drinks he had provided, which left them intoxicated and impaired.
Masterson’s former girlfriend, C.B., testified that the actor admitted to engaging in nonconsensual anal sex with her while she was unconscious in 2001.
Additionally, Kathleen J., a witness who testified about alleged misconduct not included in the charges, told the court that Masterson had drugged and raped her at a party in 2000. The victims also explained that Scientology’s teachings, ethics officers, and fears of excommunication had prevented them from immediately reporting the alleged crimes to law enforcement.
Expert witnesses also testified during the proceedings. A forensic psychiatrist discussed the effects of rape trauma, a toxicologist addressed drugs associated with sexual assault, and a Scientology expert explained church policies concerning the reporting of fellow members to authorities.
