According to the Deseret News, Danny Masterson, best known for playing Steven Hyde on “That ’70s Show,” was given a sentence of 30 years to life in jail on Thursday for he raped two women 20 years ago.
On Thursday, Danny Masterson, best known for his role as Steven Hyde on “That ’70s Show,” was sentenced to 30 years to life in prison for the 20-year-old rape of two women.
“Danny Masterson’s sentencing and its impact on his career”
The results of Masterson’s retrial in Los Angeles earlier this year led to his conviction on two counts of rape in May 2023.
According to Reuters, one of the victims Masterson was found guilty of raping claimed, “When you raped me, you stole from me.” The seven-woman, five-man jury debated the case for two weeks before reaching a verdict, saying, “That’s what rape is, a theft of the spirit.” Masterson, 47, is currently detained without bail pending the imposition of a sentence. According to NBC News, his sentencing is slated for August 4. Regarding Masterson’s third rape accusation, the jury was split evenly.
One of the women who was raped by Danny Masterson at his home in 2003 experienced a range of feelings upon hearing that her abuser will finally be held accountable for his illegal deeds, including relief, tiredness, strength, and despair. Another lady who had once been in a relationship with Masterson expressed how she felt both inspired by the idea that he would go to jail and grieved by the reality that he got away with his despicable actions toward her. The AP News reported on these claims.
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“The Controversial Case of Danny Masterson: A Timeline of Events”
Between 2001 and 2003, three women accused actor Danny Masterson of assault at his Hollywood Hills house. In March 2017, they reported the incidents to the Los Angeles Police Department. Following the #MeToo movement, Netflix decided to fire Masterson from the show “The Ranch” in December 2017. In August 2019, four of Masterson’s accusers filed a lawsuit against the actor, the Church of Scientology, and its head, David Miscavige. Masterson was then detained and accused of rape in June 2020. In June 2021, Masterson pleaded not guilty to three counts of rape. The defense requested that the court forbid any mention of the Church of Scientology in October 2022. In November 2022, a mistrial was ruled due to a hung jury. However, the prosecution announced a retrial for Masterson in January 2023. In May 2023, Masterson was convicted of two counts of rape. He was sentenced to 30 years to life in prison in September 2023.
All three women who accused Masterson of rape were former members of the Church of Scientology. They claim to have met Masterson through the church. The original trial and the retrial both involved the Church of Scientology. The Church of Scientology allegedly discouraged two of the women from reporting the rapes and put them through ethics training. However, the church denies having any policy that discourages members from reporting illegal activity.
The sentencing of Danny Masterson is a really important moment for the victims. It’s a turning point in their journey to get justice. It shows that if someone does something bad to you, there can be consequences for them. It’s also a warning to everyone that assault is a serious thing and there will be repercussions for it.
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