That ’70s Show actor Danny Masterson found guilty of rape

Associated Press Danny Masterson in court in April with his wife Bijou Phillips

NOS Nieuws•morgen, 01:08

A Los Angeles court jury has found American actor Danny Masterson guilty of two counts of rape. The jury failed to agree on a third charge.

Masterson (47) is known as Steve Hyde from the TV series That ’70s Show, which was shown between 1998 and 2006 and was also broadcast in the Netherlands.

The jury, consisting of seven women and five men, agreed on the two cases after seven days of deliberation. On the third charge, eight jurors voted for conviction and four against.

Scientology

The three victims were members of the Church of Scientology, Masterson still is. He would have abused his position within the church for years to escape punishment.

Prosecutors say Masterson raped the women at his home in Hollywood between 2001 and 2003 after drugging them. Masterson himself says that the women voluntarily had sex with him. He made no statement in court.

The case was overturned late last year because jurors could not agree. Prosecutors then opened a new case.

It has not yet been announced when Masterson will hear his sentence. That may happen on August 4, because then a new hearing is scheduled. Masterson could be sentenced to 30 years in prison.

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