Danny Masterson.Photo: Michael Buckner/Getty Images for The George Lopez Foundation
Warning: This story contains graphic details of alleged rape.
Danny Masterson’srape trialhas been declared a mistrial.
On Wednesday, the jury said they were unable to reach a verdict on any of the three criminal charges Masterson, 46, faced in connection to forcibly raping three women in separate incidents between 2001 and 2003, according toDeadlineandthe Associated Press.
Per Deadline, 10 people thought Masterson was not guilty on Count 1, while two believed he was guilty. With Count 2, eight jurors believed he was not guilty and four believed he was guilty. On Count 3, the jurors were split between seven people for not guilty and five for guilty.
In a letter to Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Charlaine F. Olmedo, the jurors said, “After thorough and considerable discussion, it is clear that we as jurors are adamant about maintaining our individual positions on each of the three counts.”
“I find the jury ishopelessly deadlocked,” Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Charlaine F. Olmedo later said, perThe Hollywood Reporter. “Therefore, I do declare a mistrial.”
After the mistrial was declared, two of the women who testified in the trial spoke about their disappointment.
“We would first like to thank the jury for its public service,” said Jane Doe #2 and Jane #3 in a statement, per Deadline. “We are obviously disappointed that, at least for the time being, Daniel Masterson has evaded criminal accountability for his deplorable acts. However, we are collectively resolved to continue our fight for justice, including in civil court, where we have alleged that Mr. Masterson, along with the Church of Scientology, its leader David Miscavige, and others conspired to systematically stalk, harass, and intimidate us when we sought to shed light on Mr. Masterson’s actions. This legal fight is far from over, and it is critical that we reckon with Scientology’s alleged role in covering up reports of abuse and threatening victims.”
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A retrial date has been set for March 27, 2023, and Masterson will remain free on bail of $3.3 million, according to Deadline.
The mistrial comes after Olmedo ordered jurors to take the week of Thanksgiving off after becoming deadlocked before the holiday. Upon their return, two jurors were unable to attend due to positive COVID tests, leading two alternates to step in and start fresh.
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TheThat ’70s Showactor was charged in 2020 with forcibly raping three women in separate incidents between 2001 and 2003. Hepleaded not guiltyto all three charges in January 2021, and a Los Angeles judge ordered him last yearto stand trial. All of the alleged crimes occurred at Masterson’s home, prosecutors say, andall three accusers took the standto detail their allegations last May in a preliminary hearing.
Masterson, who has been married to actress and modelBijou Phillipssince 2011, faced a maximum sentence of 45 years to life in state prison.
During the trial’sopening statements, Deputy District Attorney Reinhold Mueller detailed the accusations from three women who alleged Masterson had sex with them without their consent.
Among the testimonials were J.B. (who allegedly had two separate incidents with Masterson in September 2002 and April 2003 that were reported at the Hollywood police station in April 2004), a model referred to in court as C.B. who was Masterson’s girlfriend for five or six years, and an actress referred to as N.T.
The alleged victims were Scientologists, a church of which Masterson has been a part for years. Though Judge Charlaine Olmedo said at a pre-trial hearing that the proceedings were “not going to become a trial on Scientology,” discussions of Masterson’s belief about what constituted rape under the tenets of Scientology did factor into the proceedings.
RELATED VIDEO: Opening Statements Begin in Danny Masterson Sexual Assault Trial as D.A. Recounts Disturbing Rape Claims
In his opening statement, per Deadline, defense lawyer Philip Cohen emphasized the “cross-contamination” that allegedly occurred, claiming that the women all spoke to each other"before talking to the LAPD.“Cohen also claimed there were inconsistencies in the women’s stories. He cited a lack of photographic evidence, “no rape kit evidence …no voicemail evidence.”
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Many of the allegations against Masterson first surfaced in March 2017 when the LAPD’s Robbery Homicide Division confirmed an investigation was taking place into sexual assault allegations against the actor. In November 2017, HuffPost reported thata fourth womanhad accused Masterson of raping her in the early 2000s.
Netflix announced that it hadcut ties with Mastersona month later, as did the United Talent Agency. Four accusers thenfiled a lawsuit against Masterson and the Church of Scientologyin 2019. Official charges were filed against Masterson a year later.
If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, please contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) or go torainn.org.
source: people.com
