8-9-2023 (LOS ANGELES) Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Charlaine F Olmedo sentenced actor Danny Masterson to 30 years to life in prison on Thursday for the rape of two women. This sentencing came after the victims courageously shared their stories in court, shedding light on the lasting trauma they endured due to Masterson’s actions.
“When you raped me, you stole from me,” expressed one of the survivors, referring to the 2003 incident for which Masterson was convicted. “That’s what rape is, a theft of the spirit.”
“You are pathetic, disturbed, and completely violent,” she continued. “The world is better off with you in prison.”
Masterson, who has been in custody since May, sat in the courtroom dressed in a suit, seemingly unaffected by the women’s powerful testimonies. He continues to assert his innocence, with his legal team planning to appeal the decision.
The other survivor, also a victim of Masterson in 2003, stated that he had “not shown an ounce of remorse for the pain he caused.” She expressed regret for not reporting him to the authorities sooner and emphasized the necessity of his incarceration for the safety of others.
Following a mistrial in December due to an initial jury’s inability to reach a verdict on three counts of rape, Masterson was retried earlier this year. He was found guilty of two counts of rape on May 31, both of which occurred in his Hollywood-area home during the height of his fame on the Fox network sitcom That ’70s Show. However, the jury could not reach a verdict on the third count, involving an allegation of rape against a former girlfriend.
Judge Olmedo handed down the maximum sentence allowed by law, meaning Masterson will be eligible for parole after serving 25 1/2 years but could potentially remain in prison for life.
Addressing Masterson directly, Judge Olmedo stated, “I know that you’re sitting here steadfast in your claims of innocence, and thus no doubt feeling victimized by a justice system that has failed you. But Mr. Masterson, you are not the victim here. Your actions 20 years ago took away another person’s voice and choice. One way or another, you will have to come to terms with your prior actions and their consequences.”
During the sentencing hearing, the defence requested that the sentences for the two convictions run concurrently and asked for a sentence of 15 years to life, while the prosecution urged for the full 30 years to life sentence that Masterson was eligible for.
Masterson’s lawyer, Shawn Holley, emphasized the impact of the sentence on Masterson’s life and his nine-year-old daughter, whom he deeply cares for. Holley asserted that “Mr. Masterson did not commit the crimes for which he was convicted” and expressed confidence in a forthcoming appeal.
Prosecutors argued that Masterson had leveraged his position within the Church of Scientology, to which all three victims also belonged at the time, to avoid consequences for decades. The survivors revealed that their association with the church had deterred them from reporting Masterson to the authorities.
One of the survivors, who, like Masterson, was born into the Church of Scientology, described being shunned and ostracized after reporting the rape in 2004. She stated, “I lost everything. I lost my religion. I lost my ability to contact anyone I’d known or loved my entire life.”
The Church of Scientology, in response to the trial, asserted that it has “no policy prohibiting or discouraging members from reporting criminal conduct of anyone – Scientologists or not – to law enforcement” and denied any harassment of the victims.
While no charges were filed following the woman’s 2004 police report, she returned to authorities in 2016 when she learned of the renewed investigation into Masterson. The other two women waited over 15 years before reporting their experiences to anyone outside the church.
Both survivors testified that in 2003, Masterson drugged them before violently raping them. The long-lasting trauma affected their relationships and instilled fear in their lives, but the sentencing provided them with some relief.
“I don’t have to carry your shame around with me anymore,” the first survivor said. “Now you have to hold that shame. You have to sit in a cell and hold it.”
Masterson gained fame for his role in That ’70s Show alongside Ashton Kutcher, Mila Kunis, and Topher Grace from 1998 to 2006. He briefly reunited with Kutcher on the 2016 Netflix series The Ranch but was removed from the show when the Los Angeles Police Department’s investigation was revealed in 2017.
Masterson’s conviction and sentencing mark a significant moment in the #MeToo era, showcasing a successful prosecution in the wake of the Harvey Weinstein case, demonstrating the determination of Los Angeles prosecutors in pursuing justice for survivors of sexual assault.
