What brought about Danny Masterson's retrial for rape and what will happen next
In a retrial on Wednesday in Los Angeles, a jury found actor Danny Masterson guilty of two counts of rape in relation to claims the "That '70s Show" star sexually assaulted three women between 2001 and 2003. The jury found in favor of two of Masterson's accusers, but the panel was unable to rule on identical claims made by Masterson's longterm girlfriend.
The actor, who entered the courtroom free of charge and was led out in handcuffs, will likely receive a sentence of 30 years to life in jail. The Church of Scientology, of which Masterson is a member, emerged as a key player in the second trial.
Here are some of the main points that the three-week retrial brought to light and what comes next for the actor.
WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO MASTERSON?
The actor will continue to be detained while he waits for his yet-to-be-scheduled sentencing.
During the sentencing hearing, the women who Masterson is found guilty of raping might make victim impact statements, and the judge is probably going to hear from Masterson's supporters as well.
Although they are certain to appeal, Masterson's attorneys didn't respond to the verdict right away.
CONFIDENTIAL DISCUSSION OF DRUGS
In what may be the biggest departure from the first trial, the judge in the second trial gave the prosecution permission to state unequivocally that Masterson drugged all three women before raping them. When the women testified about feeling confused, forgetting things, and becoming asleep to a degree that could not be accounted for by the amount of alcohol they had taken, it could only be assumed that they had been drugged.
ANALYSIS AND ARRESTION
In March 2017, the police revealed that they were looking into Masterson. About six months later, the #MeToo firestorm in Hollywood would start, and Masterson would be fired from "The Ranch," a Netflix Western comedy where he had reconnected with Kutcher.
He was detained and accused of three rapes in 2020, and a judge concluded that there was sufficient evidence to prosecute him in 2021.
THE PRIMARY TRIAL
The month-long initial trial for Masterson started in October. Masterson appeared in court while out on bail and was accompanied by a sizable group of people with ties to the Scientology and entertainment industries, including his wife and the child's mother, actor and model Bijou Phillips.
Less than half of the jury ultimately decided to find the defendant guilty on all counts. The women agreed to testify once more after the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office chose to retry the case with a fresh group of jurors.