Danny Masterson has lost the appeal of his rape conviction, meaning his 30-year prison sentence has been upheld.
asserted
sentence → lose → conviction
The actor, best known for his role on That ’70s Show, was convicted in 2023 of two counts of rape against two women in 2003, while a third charge relating to a third plaintiff, who alleged she was raped by Masterson in 2001, was quashed.
Masterson has insisted that sex with all three plaintiffs was consensual.
asserted
sex → know → plaintiffs
In December he filed an appeal, questioning the plaintiffs’ credibility and claiming he didn’t receive a fair trial as the judge, Los Angeles superior court judge Charlaine F Olmedo, was biased against Scientology.
asserted
judge → file → Scientology
In an 89-page ruling filed in the California court of appeal on Tuesday, a three-judge panel rejected Masterson’s arguments, finding that Olmedo’s statements during the trial showed “no animus or departure from neutrality regarding Scientology”.
asserted
statements → file → Scientology
During the trial, prosecutors argued that Masterson, a prominent Scientologist, had used his role in the church – of which all three plaintiffs were also members at the time – to avoid accountability for the assaults.
asserted
plaintiffs → argue → assaults
Prosecutors also argued the plaintiffs had delayed reporting the incidents due to their fear they would violate a Scientology rule against going to the police and be retaliated against.
asserted
they → argue → police
Two of his accusers testified that when they reported Masterson to Scientology officials, they were told they were not raped, were put through “ethics programs” which they likened to repeated interrogations, and were warned against going to police.
asserted
they → testify → police
One of the women said she was shunned and ostracised for doing so.
asserted
she → say → women
Olmedo allowed a former Scientologist, Claire Headley, to testify as an expert about the church’s beliefs and practices.
asserted
Scientologist → allow → beliefs
Headley told the court that Scientology regards going to law enforcement as a “suppressive act” that was sanctionable by excommunication.
asserted
that → tell → excommunication
In his appeal, Masterson’s lawyers argued the court had improperly intruded into interpretation of church doctrine.
asserted
court → argue → doctrine
“The jury in this case was not asked to determine the truth or falsity of Scientology doctrine or beliefs,” the appeals court panel wrote.
asserted
panel → ask → doctrine
“Admission of Scientology evidence for those purposes did not contravene the First Amendment.”
asserted
Admission → contravene → Amendment
The panel also rejected separate arguments about the statute of limitations and evidentiary rulings, and denied that he did not get an adequate defense.
Masterson’s lawyers, Cliff Gardner and Eric Multhaup, called it an “unfortunate decision”, telling Variety they would appeal to the California supreme court.
After Masterson was found guilty in 2023, the church of Scientology issued a statement to say the “testimony and descriptions of Scientology beliefs” during the trial were “uniformly false”.
asserted
testimony → reject → trial
“The church has no policy prohibiting or discouraging members from reporting criminal conduct of anyone – Scientologists or not – to law enforcement,” the statement said.
asserted
statement → have → enforcement
Information and support for anyone affected by rape or sexual abuse issues is available from the following organisations.
asserted
Information → affect → organisations
In the US, Rainn offers support on 800-656-4673.
asserted
Rainn → offer → 4673
In the UK, Rape Crisis offers support on 0808 500 2222.
asserted
Crisis → offer → 2222
Other international helplines can be found at ibiblio.org/rcip/internl.html
asserted
helplines → find → ibiblio.org/rcip/internl.html
The Aporia
