Danny Masteron, the actor known for his roles on “That ’70s Show” and “The Ranch” was found guilty in a Los Angeles courtroom on Wednesday on two counts of rape. But the jury was deadlocked on a third count resulting in a mixed verdict.
This was the second rape trial for Masterson, who played Steven Hyde on That 70s Show—the first trial ended in a deadlock last November, resulting in a mistrial.
Drugging drinks
Prosecutors accused Masterson of raping three women on separate occasions at his home in the Hollywood Hills between 2001 and 2003. Two of his accusers are members of the Church of Scientology, which Masterson also belongs to. According to court documents, the Church discourages women from reporting rapes to the police — a claim that the Church vehemently denies.
The AP reported that Deputy District Attorney Reinhold Mueller told the courtroom that Masterson slipped drugs into the drinks of his girlfriend and two women he knew through the Church of Scientology.
“The evidence will show that they were drugged,” Mueller said.
Both women described harrowing experiences of becoming weak and woozy and then waking up at Masterson’s home, where he threatened one with a gun and called another “white trash” while repeatedly spitting on her.
The trial lasted two weeks, and it took the jury a week to reach a verdict. It is seen as a victory for the #MeToo movement, which has been working to raise awareness of sexual assault and harassment.
Masterson is scheduled to be sentenced on January 24, 2023, and faces up to 30 years in prison.
Jonathan Small
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