Actor Danny Masterson’s rape convictions and 30-year-to-life prison sentence have been upheld after a California appeals court rejected his defense team’s bid to overturn the verdict. the-independent.com reported that the ruling follows a three-justice panel’s comprehensive review of the 2023 trial proceedings.
The Bottom Line
- California’s 2nd District Court of Appeal officially upheld Danny Masterson’s two counts of rape by force or fear on Tuesday.
- The 89-page appellate ruling confirmed that jury instructions regarding the Church of Scientology were entirely proper and relevant to the victims’ delayed reporting.
- Defense counsel Shawn Holley stated that legal teams will escalate the challenge to both state and federal appellate courts.
Appellate Court Dismisses Defense Arguments on Scientology and Trial Delay
The 89-page opinion issued by a three-justice panel from California’s 2nd District Court of Appeal firmly dismantled nearly a dozen arguments brought forward by Masterson’s legal representation. The defense had targeted a prosecution delay on one charge alongside the inclusion of testimony concerning the Church of Scientology during the trial. According to the appellate justices, the Scientology evidence remained strictly relevant to explaining why the victims initially reported the incidents to church officials rather than law enforcement, and why their subsequent cooperation faced delays.
Furthermore, the panel reviewed trial court statements that Masterson claimed showed bias or hostility toward the Church of Scientology. The justices determined that when those statements are viewed in proper context, they demonstrate no animus or departure from judicial neutrality. Masterson, now 50, remains incarcerated at the California Men’s Colony in San Luis Obispo.
Defense Vows Further Appeals Following High-Court Rejection
The legal battle surrounding the former That ’70s Show actor is far from finished. Following the appellate decision, defense attorney Shawn Holley released a statement indicating that a dedicated team of appellate lawyers has continuously reviewed trial transcripts. Holley asserted that the defense identified significant evidentiary and constitutional issues ready for presentation in subsequent briefs.
Mr. Masterson did not commit the crimes for which he has been convicted and we and the appellate lawyers, the best and the brightest in the country, are confident that these convictions will be overturned, Holley stated outside the courtroom. Deputy District Attorney Reinhold Mueller, who prosecuted the case, maintained during trial arguments that the evidence clearly demonstrated Masterson had drugged and assaulted the victims in his Hollywood Hills home.
Weighing the Judicial Timeline and Prior Mistrials
The path to the current appellate decision stretches back across multiple legal phases. Masterson was initially charged in 2020 with three counts of rape by force or fear involving three separate women. His first trial in late 2022 concluded in a mistrial after a jury deadlocked with leanings toward acquittal, before a second jury convicted him on two counts of rape in May 2023. Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Charlaine Olmedo formally sentenced the actor that September, ordering him to register as a sex offender for life.
| Legal Milestone | Date | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Initial Charges Filed | 2020 | Charged with three counts of rape by force or fear involving three women. |
| Retrial Conviction | May 2023 | Found guilty of two counts of rape; third count resulted in a hung jury and later dismissal. |
| Sentencing Hearing | September 2023 | Sentenced to 30 years to life in state prison by Judge Charlaine Olmedo. |
During the sentencing hearing, a victim identified in court as Jane Doe 2 addressed the court directly. While the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office ultimately dismissed the third remaining count after a deadlocked verdict on that specific charge during the retrial, the primary convictions stand intact following the recent appellate dismissal.
