It was a judge’s verdict in a spectacular Hollywood trial: Danny Masterson was sentenced to 30 years in prison in September 2023. After being found guilty of two counts of rape in a jury trial in May. The panel remained undecided on a third count, also of rape.
Masterson is best known for his role in the hit sitcom “That ’70s Show” from 1998 to 2006 and is one of the most prominent members of the Church of Scientology in California.
The trial spoke of the repeated use of knockout drops that Masterton administered to female guests in his house. There is also said to have been additional use of force and a threat with weapons.
According to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR), Danny Masterson has now been transferred from the Central Men’s Jail in Los Angeles to North Kern State Prison. In this context, an official “prison photo” of Masterson in an orange prisoner uniform was circulated and circulated through the US news media.
His wife, Bijou Phillips, filed for divorce two weeks after his conviction. The daughter of John Phillips of the flower power folk rock band The Mamas & the Papas and actress Genevieve Waite applied for spousal support from Masterton’s assets in documents available to Fox News Digital.
Scientology involved?
After the criminal case is concluded, Masterson – and the “Church of Scientology” – also expects a civil trial. The plaintiffs are the two former Scientologists whom Masterson drugged and raped in the early 2000s. As well as actress Chrissie Carnell Bixler (“Almost Famous”), who also testified as the alleged victim but was unable to convince the jury.
When asked for further comment on the case, the Church of Scientology, of which Masterson is a member, referred to the May 2023 statement.
In it, Scientologists claim that the central mention of “religion” in Masterson’s trial violates First Amendment rights.
“The Church has no policy prohibiting or discouraging members from reporting criminal behavior by anyone, Scientologist or not, to law enforcement,” the statement said.
“On the contrary, church policy specifically requires that Scientologists abide by all laws of the land. Any claims to the contrary are absolutely false. There is not a shred of evidence to support the scandalous allegations that the Church pressured the plaintiffs. Every incident of alleged church harassment has been debunked.”
The actresses, on the other hand, accuse their former religious community of forcing them to remain silent. “While Mr. Masterson will not be held accountable for the crime against me, I want to help expose how Scientology enabled and concealed his disgusting behavior,” Carnell Bixler threatened.