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Danny Masterson is again on trial for sexual assault, greater than 4 months after a mistrial was declared. A jury was unable to achieve a unanimous verdict in November, however prosecutors vowed to re-try the case regardless of six males and 6 girls leaning in the direction of acquittal. The That ’70s Present star is charged with forcibly raping three girls from 2001 to 2003 and has maintained his innocence.
One presence that can loom massive once more over the trial is the Church of Scientology as Masterson is considered one of its highest-ranking members. Three of his accusers are former Scientologists who declare they had been harassed and threatened by church officers after coming ahead. A decide dominated the ladies will likely be allowed to debate how their worry of Scientology performed a job in how they dealt with reporting, or not reporting, the alleged assaults to police. As jury choice begins on Monday, it is anticipated potential jurors will likely be requested about their views on the church in addition to the #MeToo motion, simply as each matters had been massive final 12 months.
Masterson’s rape case has been six years within the making. Here is how we acquired right here.
March 2017
The Los Angeles Police Division confirmed they launched an investigation after three girls reported being sexually assaulted by Masterson within the early 2000s. A rep for the actor, who was starring in Netflix’s The Ranch on the time, denied the allegations and famous one of many accusers was his “longtime girlfriend.” Masterson’s spokesperson insinuated this was a part of an anti-Scientology campaign and known as out ex-Scientologist, Leah Remini.
We’re conscious of [the alleged victim’s] 16-year-old allegations. It was solely after [the alleged victim] was involved with Leah Remini that she made allegations of sexual assault by Mr. Masterson. The alleged incident occurred in the course of their 6 12 months relationship, after which she continued to be his longtime girlfriend. Considerably, throughout their lengthy relationship she made quite a few inconsistent claims that she was beforehand raped by a minimum of 3 different well-known actors and musicians.
When Danny ended the connection she continued to pursue him, even making threats to beat up his present spouse Bijou Phillips until she left him. In reality, we’re knowledgeable by the church that the one demand [the alleged victim] fabricated from the church after Danny broke up along with her was asking for his or her assist to intervene so the breakup wouldn’t be everlasting.
We’re conscious additionally that roughly 14 years in the past a girl referred to within the weblog made allegations of sexual assault that the LADP interviewed quite a few witnesses and decided the declare had no advantage. Primarily based on studying the anti-Scientology weblog that posted this story, these false allegations seem like motivated to spice up Leah Remini’s anti-Scientology tv sequence since [the alleged victim] solely got here ahead after connecting with Leah Remini.
A fourth girl later got here ahead with related allegations in opposition to Masterson.
Dec. 2017
Because the #MeToo motion swept by means of Hollywood, Netflix fired Masterson amid the continuing investigation. The actor mentioned he was “very upset” by the choice and seemed “ahead to clearing my identify.”
“I’ve by no means been charged with against the law, not to mention convicted of 1. On this nation, you might be presumed harmless till confirmed responsible. Nonetheless, within the present local weather, it appears as if you’re presumed responsible the second you might be accused,” Masterson declared. “I perceive and stay up for clearing my identify as soon as and for all. Within the meantime, I wish to specific my gratitude to the forged and crew that I’ve labored so carefully with over the previous three seasons. I want them nothing however success. I’m additionally so grateful to the followers which have supported me and proceed to take action.”
Aug. 2019
4 of Masterson’s accusers sued the actor and the Church of Scientology, together with its chief David Miscavige, for allegedly stalking them in hopes to silence them.
“When these girls got here ahead to report Masterson’s crimes,” the lawsuit learn partly, “the defendants conspired to and systematically stalked, harassed, invaded their and their household’s privateness, and deliberately induced them emotional misery and silence and intimidate them.”
Each Masterson and the church deny the allegations. Regardless of quite a few appeals, the case will go to court docket, not by means of a church-led arbitration as Scientology leaders hoped. This lawsuit was introduced up finally 12 months’s trial because the protection claims this entire factor “is a shameful cash seize.”
June 2020
Masterson was arrested and charged with rape, going through a doable most sentence of 45 years to life in state jail. He is accused of raping a 23-year-old girl in 2001; a 23-year-old girl and a 28-year-old girl in separate incidents in 2003. The entire alleged crimes occurred at his house within the Hollywood Hills. The Los Angeles District Legal professional’s Workplace famous they declined to file sexual assault prices in opposition to Masterson from two different girls, one for inadequate proof and the opposite primarily based upon the statute of limitations for the alleged crime.
“Mr. Masterson is harmless, and we’re assured that he will likely be exonerated when all of the proof lastly involves mild and witnesses have the chance to testify,” the actor’s high-powered protection legal professional, Tom Mesereau, advised Yahoo Leisure on the time.
“Clearly, Mr. Masterson and his spouse are in full shock contemplating that these almost 20-year-old allegations are all of a sudden leading to prices being filed, however they and their household are comforted figuring out that finally the reality will come out,” Mesereau continued. “The individuals who know Mr. Masterson know his character and know the allegations to be false.”
Jan. 2021
Masterson pleaded not responsible to a few prices of forcible rape.
Could 2021
Throughout a preliminary listening to, a decide heard three of Masterson’s accusers element their alleged assaults. He dominated the actor should stand trial.
Oct. 2021
When the trial started, Scientology was a hot-button matter. The protection wished the court docket to bar any point out of the church whereas the prosecution argued the three girls, all of whom had been Scientologists on the time of the alleged assaults, ought to have the ability to say no matter they need. Los Angeles Superior Court docket Decide Charlaine Olmedo landed within the center, allowing the ladies to debate the church when related to the incidents.
“Proof introduced in felony circumstances typically contain topic issues that most of the public view with disdain, together with gangs, weapons and violence,” Olmedo mentioned. “The truth that any particular person has a unfavorable view of any specific subject material doesn’t, per se, render that particular person unfit to function a juror.”
When Jane Doe #1 took the stand because the prosecution’s first witness, she testified {that a} church ethics officer compelled her “to make peace” with Masterson after she claimed she was penetrated anally by the actor her in opposition to her will in 2002.
“My understanding, my whole life, was that you may by no means be a sufferer,” the lady defined. “Nothing ever occurs to you that you simply did not trigger. It doesn’t matter what situation you end up in life, irrespective of how horrible, you might be accountable. You created that.”
Jane Doe #1 continued to have a relationship with Masterson and claimed she was sexually assaulted by the star at his house in April 2003. She was emotional on the stand recounting the alleged incident. The lady testified she began feeling disoriented after consuming one thing Masterson gave her. She handed out on his mattress, and when she awoke, claimed Masterson was on high of her. The lady claimed she tried to struggle him off, however the actor reached right into a drawer in a nightstand and pulled out a gun and threatened by telling her to “shut the f*** up.” After the alleged rape, the lady mentioned she went to see her ethics officer.
“My understanding is I’d instantly be responsible of a excessive crime. A excessive crime comes with a penalty of expulsion from Scientology,” Jane Doe #1 mentioned on the stand. “My life could be over. My dad and mom must disconnect from me. My daughter couldn’t go to her faculty… I would not have wherever to work or reside. I would not have wherever to go.”
In April 2004, Jane Doe #1 wrote a letter to the church’s Worldwide Justice Chief and requested for permission to convey felony prices in opposition to Masterson. She believed she was advised no, however did so anyway with the LAPD two months later. The Los Angeles County district legal professional’s workplace determined to not press prices on the time. The lady finally settled with Masterson for $400,000.
Jane Doe #3, additionally an ex-Scientologist, testified in regards to the alleged “terror marketing campaign” unleashed on her by the group when she got here ahead with claims in opposition to Masterson. The lady, a longtime girlfriend of Masterson’s, alleged he raped her when she was sleeping in 2001.
“I requested him, ‘what occurred final evening?’ I requested him if I had fallen as a result of I used to be hurting ‘down there,'” she testified. “He laughed at me and mentioned he had intercourse with me there.” Masterson supposedly confirmed she was unconscious the entire time.
Nov. 2021
In 2003, Jane Doe #2 alleged she was raped at Masterson’s house after he equipped her with alcohol that left her feeling “numb.” The lady claimed he acquired her to his mattress the place he assaulted her like “a rag doll.” Jane Doe #2 didn’t report him to the church for worry of being declared a “suppressive particular person.” When she left the group, she later realized the incident was rape.
A fourth girl was permitted to testify who claimed Masterson raped her twice in 1996. Her story was just like the allegations from the opposite three girls; nonetheless, her accusations did not result in prices.
After greater than 5 weeks of grueling testimony, jurors started deliberating on Nov. 15. After three days, the group, made up of seven girls and 5 males, knowledgeable the decide they had been deadlocked. They had been ordered house for 10 days, however upon their return, two examined constructive for COVID-19. Deliberations needed to begin over with two alternates, however the outcome was the identical.
In a be aware to the decide, jurors mentioned, “We aren’t even near coming to a unanimous resolution on any depend, and are satisfied this is not going to change.” A mistrial was declared.
Jan. 2023
Prosecutors introduced Masterson will likely be tried for a second time with a brand new jury. The earlier hung jury leaned in the direction of acquittal, with votes of 10-2, 8-4 and 7-5 on the three counts. Decide Charlaine Olmedo denied the protection’s request to dismiss the case and famous how the prosecution solely known as 16 out of 36 potential witnesses.
“It seems there are numerous different witnesses folks might select,” Olmedo mentioned. “Mr. Masterson is charged with a number of counts of significant and violent felonies – forcible rapes. If true and Masterson is convicted, society wouldn’t solely be shielded from a violent felon, and must be shielded from a violent felon.”
April 2023
Masterson’s protection workforce filed a movement within the eleventh hour to attempt to delay the April seventeenth begin date, however had been rapidly denied. The actor stays free on the $3.3 million bail set at his arraignment.
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