Six years after investigations began in regards to multiple women accusing Danny Masterson of sexual assault, the That ‘70s Show vet was found guilty of two counts of rape, in a series of verdicts that somewhat successfully ended prosecutors’ retrial efforts. The actor was taken into custody following the decisions, with sentencing to come down the line. He faces up to 30 years in prison.
Masterson was found guilty on forcible rape charges involving two female victims stemming back to 2001-2003, while a third charge earned a split verdict from the jury that comprised seven women and five men. THR reports that the charge that split the group was in relation to his ex-girlfriend Chrissie Carnell Bixler, who came forward and publicly identified herself as one of the accusers. Eight of the jurors favored a guilty verdict in her case, while four opposed.
According to the Associated Press, the verdict left the nearby family and friends of Danny Masterson with "stone-faced" expressions. His wife Bijou Phillips was reportedly weeping as he was led out of the courtroom in handcuffs.
The women whose rape charges landed the guilty verdicts shared their harrowing testimonies on the stand during the retrial. One of them shared the following statement after the verdict was announced that convicted him of raping her inside him home in 2003:
I am experiencing a complex array of emotions – relief, exhaustion, strength, sadness – knowing that my abuser, Danny Masterson, will face accountability for his criminal behavior.
The split verdict didn't inspire quite the same reaction, though Bixler's statement does address her finding overall value in the actor being sent to jail.
While I’m encouraged that Danny Masterson will face some criminal punishment, I am devastated that he has dodged criminal accountability for his heinous conduct against me.
The verdict was reached after a seven-day deliberation that took place across two weeks, with the Memorial Day weekend falling in the middle. The retrial's opening statements took place in April 2023, after the initial March start date was rescheduled, and the proceedings themselves were slightly different than how the first trial was handled. For one, more attention placed on the Church of Scientology, of which all three accusers were members between 2001 and 2003. Though she didn't attend the first trial, Leah Remini did show up for the retrial, and claimed attempts were made to keep her out of the courtroom for the opening arguments, based on false reports that she would take the stand as a witness, which she was not listed as.
The first trial, which was also initially delayed, started in October 2022 and lasted right around a month before jurors went into deliberation. That process was also split into two sessions by a holiday (Thanksgiving), with two jurors being replaced due to COVID-19 diagnoses. After no progress was made toward landing a clear verdict, the judge declared it a mistrial on November 30.
Danny Masterson's acting career essentially ended when he was fired from Netflix's The Ranch in December 2017, months after the rape allegations surfaced. While he'd commented on the existence of Netflix's That '90s Show when it was ordered, he understandably wasn't part of the continuation series at all.
At this time, a sentencing date for Masterson has not yet been set.
