Danny Masterson, who is well known for playing Steven Hyde in The ‘70s Show, was accused of s*xual harassment. The accusations against the actor first emerged in March 2017 when three women came forward to talk about how the actor s*xually assaulted them in the early 2000s. These women were once members of the Church of Scientology.
It was reported that a fourth woman came forward to accuse Danny Masterson of the same in November 2017. While he initially pleaded not guilty to the charges, a retrial has finally convicted him on two counts of forcible r*pe. While the jury couldn’t come to a unanimous decision on the third count, Danny Masterson could still be looking at a 30-year sentence in prison.
Danny Masterson to Serve 30 Years in Prison?
The three women who accused Danny Masterson once stated that the Church of Scientology persuaded them not to take action against Masterson’s crimes and to not report him since he was an important member of the church. Throughout their argument, the women talked about how the church kept them from doing so for years.
However, none of that worked in Masterson’s favor as on May 31, the actor was finally convicted on two counts of r*pe out of three. He now faces 30 years to life in prison. While Masterson was handcuffed and taken away from the courtroom, his wife Bijou Phillips was seen sobbing in the front row.
Fans might be wondering what Tom Cruise, another extremely prominent member of the church might be thinking of the whole situation. Is he still friends with the disgraced actor? Well, as of now, Cruise has not spoken up about Masterson’s trial. However, a former member of the Church, Leah Remini, tweeted that while she attended the opening arguments of the retrial to support the accusers, Masterson’s “Scientology-controlled” lawyers tried to kick her out of the courtroom. Check out the thread below.
1. Today I attended the opening arguments in the rape trial of celebrity Scientologist Danny Masterson.
I attended to show my support for the women who were not only brutally raped by Danny but then subjected to years of harassment by Scientology.
— Leah Remini (@LeahRemini) April 25, 2023
She also stated that this is what happens when David Miscavige, the leader of the Church, directs the defense. She blamed them for wasting the court’s time with their “petty” and “embarrassing” attempts.
Danny Masterson’s Victims Speak Out
Issuing a statement, one of the victims who is known as Jane Doe 2, talked about what was going on in her mind as The ’70s Show actor was finally convicted for his crimes. She stated that while she is disappointed that he wasn’t found guilty on all three counts, she is still relieved that Masterson and the Church will face the consequences of their actions.
“I am experiencing a complex array of emotions – relief, exhaustion, strength, sadness – knowing that my abuser, Danny Masterson, will face accountability for his criminal behaviour. I am disappointed that he was not convicted on all counts, but take great solace in the fact that he, the Church of Scientology, and others, will have to fully account for their abhorrent actions in civil court.”
This refers to the pending case where Masterson and the Church were sued by the accusers on accounts of harassment and stalking.
Jane Doe 3, who was also Masterson’s girlfriend at one point, stated that she was “devastated” that he wasn’t held accountable for his actions toward her. She, too, hopes to seek justice against them in civil court.
Source: Variety
