“That ’70s Show” star Danny Masterson was sentenced Thursday to 30 years in prison for raping two ladies on the top of his fame twenty years in the past.
Masterson, 47 — who was convicted of raping victims Jen B. and N. Trout in his Hollywood-area dwelling in 2003 — remained silent in courtroom as he was sentenced to 15 years in prison. prison for every depend, which shall be served consecutively, the utmost sentence permitted by regulation.
“One way or another, you will have to come to terms with your prior actions and their consequences,” Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Charlaine Olmedoe instructed Masterson.
N. Trout known as the actor a violent man, however mentioned she had forgiven him and hoped he would enhance in prison. according to court reporter Meghann Cuniff.
“You like to hurt women. It’s your addiction. This is definitely your favorite thing to do,” she learn from her sufferer affect assertion earlier than sentencing.
“Life is precious and fragile. Find your heart… Learn something. Read books. Listen to the brightness of nothing and heal yourself. I forgive you,” she added.
Jen B., in the meantime, used her time to reiterate that there was no conspiracy to deliver down Masterson or the Church of Scientology.
Prosecutors alleged that Masterson used his celeb and prominence inside the Church of Scientology — of which his victims have been additionally members — to skirt the regulation and keep away from accountability.
“Sorry, Leah is not behind this,” Jen B. mentioned, referring to actress Leah Remini, a former church member turned outspoken critic.
The victims testified that Masterson gave them drinks that made them cross out, and that he started violently raping them.
Prosecutors mentioned N. Trout was raped so violently that she vomited in her mouth and begged Masterson to no less than use a condom.
When the ladies reported Masterson to Scientology officers, they have been instructed that they had not been raped and had been put by way of an ethics program.
They instructed the courtroom that Scientology officers additionally warned them not to report the crime to police as a result of Masterson was a high-ranking member of the Church.
Although a jury discovered Masterson responsible of two counts of rape following an preliminary deadlocked vote, the panel was unable to attain a unanimous verdict on a 3rd depend alleging that Masterson had additionally assaulted his longtime girlfriend, Christina Bixler.
Masterson denied any wrongdoing however didn’t testify in courtroom nor did his legal professionals name any witnesses to the stand.
Instead, the protection argued the intercourse acts have been consensual and accused the ladies of coordinating tales to discredit the previous Hollywood star.
Masterson has by no means been charged with medication, and with none toxicology proof to help these ladies’s tales, this concern will probably play a task in Masterson’s plan to enchantment the decision.
The Church of Scientology additionally launched an announcement calling the ladies’s testimony “completely false.”
“The Church has no policy prohibiting or discouraging members from reporting the criminal conduct of anyone – Scientologist or not – to law enforcement,” the assertion mentioned.
With put up wires