By Associated Press
LOS ANGELES: A decide sentenced “That ’70s Show” present star Danny Masterson to 30 years to life in jail on Thursday for raping two ladies, giving them some aid after they spoke in court docket concerning the many years of harm he inflicted.
“When you raped me, you stole from me,” mentioned one lady who Masterson was convicted of raping in 2003. “That’s what rape is, a theft of the spirit.”
“You are pathetic, disturbed and completely violent,” she mentioned. “The world is better off with you in prison.”
Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Charlaine F. Olmedo handed down the sentence to the 47-year-old Masterson after listening to statements from the ladies, and pleas for equity from defence attorneys.
The actor, who has been in custody since May, sat in court docket carrying a swimsuit. Masterson watched the ladies with out seen response as they spoke. He maintains his innocence and his attorneys plan to enchantment.
The different lady Masterson was discovered responsible of raping mentioned he “has not shown an ounce of remorse for the pain he caused.” She instructed the decide, “I knew he belonged behind bars for the safety of all the women he came into contact with. I am so sorry, and I’m so upset. I wish I’d reported him sooner to the police.”
After an preliminary jury failed to achieve verdicts on three counts of rape in December and a mistrial was declared, prosecutors retried Masterson on all three counts earlier this 12 months.
Masterson waived his proper to talk earlier than he was sentenced and had no seen response after the decide’s determination, nor did the various members of the family sitting beside him. His spouse, actor Bijou Phillips, was tearful earlier within the listening to.
At his second trial, a jury discovered Masterson responsible of two of three rape counts on May 31. Both assaults occurred in Masterson’s Hollywood-area dwelling in 2003 when he was on the top of his fame on the Fox community sitcom “That ’70s Show.”
They couldn’t attain a verdict on the third depend, an allegation that Masterson additionally raped a longtime girlfriend.
The decide sentenced the actor after rejecting a defence movement for a brand new trial that was argued earlier Thursday. The sentence was the utmost allowed by regulation. It means Masterson will likely be eligible for parole after serving 25 1/2 years, however will be held in jail for all times.
“I know that you’re sitting here steadfast in your claims of innocence, and thus no doubt feeling victimized by a justice system that has failed you,” Olmedo instructed Masterson earlier than handing down the sentence. “But Mr. Masterson, you are not the victim here. Your actions 20 years ago took away another person’s voice, and choice. One way or another you will have to come to terms with your prior actions, and their consequences.”
The protection sought to have sentences for the 2 convictions run concurrently and requested for a sentence of 15 years to life. The prosecution requested for the total 30 years to life sentence Masterson was eligible for.
“It’s his life that will be impacted by what you decide today,” Masterson’s lawyer Shawn Holley instructed the decide earlier than the sentencing. “And the life of his 9-year-old daughter, who means the world to him, and to whom he means the world.”
After the listening to, Holley mentioned in a press release that “Mr. Masterson did not commit the crimes for which he was convicted.” She mentioned a staff of appellate attorneys has recognized “a number of significant evidentiary and constitutional issues” along with his convictions, which they’re assured will likely be overturned.
Prosecutors alleged that Masterson used his prominence within the Church of Scientology — the place all three ladies had been additionally members on the time — to keep away from penalties for many years after the assaults, and the ladies blamed the church for his or her hesitancy in going to the police about Masterson.
At the sentencing listening to, one of many ladies, who like Masterson was born into the church, mentioned she was shunned and ostracized for going to authorities in 2004.
“I lost everything. I lost my religion. I lost my ability to contact anyone I’d known or loved my entire life,” she said. “I didn’t exist outside the Scientology world. I had to start my life all over at 29. It seemed the world I knew didn’t want me to live.”
The church mentioned in a press release after the trial that it has “no policy prohibiting or discouraging members from reporting criminal conduct of anyone — Scientologists or not — to law enforcement.” It has additionally denied ever harassing any of the ladies.
No prices got here from the lady’s 2004 police report, however she returned to authorities when she discovered they had been investigating Masterson once more in 2016. The different two ladies had waited greater than 15 years earlier than reporting him to anybody aside from church officers.
The ladies testified at each trials that in 2003, they had been at Masterson’s dwelling when he drugged them earlier than violently raping them.
They mentioned Thursday that the trauma plagued them for the many years that adopted, hurting their relationships and filling their lives with concern. But they mentioned his sentencing gave them some aid.
“I don’t have to carry your shame around with me anymore,” the primary lady who spoke mentioned. “Now it’s important to maintain that disgrace. You have to take a seat in a cell and maintain it.”
Masterson starred with Ashton Kutcher, Mila Kunis and Topher Grace in “That ’70s Show” from 1998 till 2006.
He had reunited with Kutcher on the 2016 Netflix comedy “The Ranch,” however was written off the present when the Los Angeles Police Department investigation was revealed the next 12 months.
While that investigation started earlier than a wave of girls shook Hollywood with tales about Harvey Weinstein in October 2017, the conviction and sentencing of Masterson nonetheless symbolize a serious #MeToo period success for Los Angeles prosecutors, together with the conviction of Weinstein himself final 12 months.
LOS ANGELES: A decide sentenced “That ’70s Show” present star Danny Masterson to 30 years to life in jail on Thursday for raping two ladies, giving them some aid after they spoke in court docket concerning the many years of harm he inflicted.
“When you raped me, you stole from me,” mentioned one lady who Masterson was convicted of raping in 2003. “That’s what rape is, a theft of the spirit.”
“You are pathetic, disturbed and completely violent,” she mentioned. “The world is better off with you in prison.”
Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Charlaine F. Olmedo handed down the sentence to the 47-year-old Masterson after listening to statements from the ladies, and pleas for equity from defence attorneys.
The actor, who has been in custody since May, sat in court docket carrying a swimsuit. Masterson watched the ladies with out seen response as they spoke. He maintains his innocence and his attorneys plan to enchantment.
The different lady Masterson was discovered responsible of raping mentioned he “has not shown an ounce of remorse for the pain he caused.” She instructed the decide, “I knew he belonged behind bars for the safety of all the women he came into contact with. I am so sorry, and I’m so upset. I wish I’d reported him sooner to the police.”
After an preliminary jury failed to achieve verdicts on three counts of rape in December and a mistrial was declared, prosecutors retried Masterson on all three counts earlier this 12 months.
Masterson waived his proper to talk earlier than he was sentenced and had no seen response after the decide’s determination, nor did the various members of the family sitting beside him. His spouse, actor Bijou Phillips, was tearful earlier within the listening to.
At his second trial, a jury discovered Masterson responsible of two of three rape counts on May 31. Both assaults occurred in Masterson’s Hollywood-area dwelling in 2003 when he was on the top of his fame on the Fox community sitcom “That ’70s Show.”
They couldn’t attain a verdict on the third depend, an allegation that Masterson additionally raped a longtime girlfriend.
The decide sentenced the actor after rejecting a defence movement for a brand new trial that was argued earlier Thursday. The sentence was the utmost allowed by regulation. It means Masterson will likely be eligible for parole after serving 25 1/2 years, however will be held in jail for all times.
“I know that you’re sitting here steadfast in your claims of innocence, and thus no doubt feeling victimized by a justice system that has failed you,” Olmedo instructed Masterson earlier than handing down the sentence. “But Mr. Masterson, you are not the victim here. Your actions 20 years ago took away another person’s voice, and choice. One way or another you will have to come to terms with your prior actions, and their consequences.”
The protection sought to have sentences for the 2 convictions run concurrently and requested for a sentence of 15 years to life. The prosecution requested for the total 30 years to life sentence Masterson was eligible for.
“It’s his life that will be impacted by what you decide today,” Masterson’s lawyer Shawn Holley instructed the decide earlier than the sentencing. “And the life of his 9-year-old daughter, who means the world to him, and to whom he means the world.”
After the listening to, Holley mentioned in a press release that “Mr. Masterson did not commit the crimes for which he was convicted.” She mentioned a staff of appellate attorneys has recognized “a number of significant evidentiary and constitutional issues” along with his convictions, which they’re assured will likely be overturned.
Prosecutors alleged that Masterson used his prominence within the Church of Scientology — the place all three ladies had been additionally members on the time — to keep away from penalties for many years after the assaults, and the ladies blamed the church for his or her hesitancy in going to the police about Masterson.
At the sentencing listening to, one of many ladies, who like Masterson was born into the church, mentioned she was shunned and ostracized for going to authorities in 2004.
“I lost everything. I lost my religion. I lost my ability to contact anyone I’d known or loved my entire life,” she said. “I didn’t exist outside the Scientology world. I had to start my life all over at 29. It seemed the world I knew didn’t want me to live.”
The church mentioned in a press release after the trial that it has “no policy prohibiting or discouraging members from reporting criminal conduct of anyone — Scientologists or not — to law enforcement.” It has additionally denied ever harassing any of the ladies.
No prices got here from the lady’s 2004 police report, however she returned to authorities when she discovered they had been investigating Masterson once more in 2016. The different two ladies had waited greater than 15 years earlier than reporting him to anybody aside from church officers.
The ladies testified at each trials that in 2003, they had been at Masterson’s dwelling when he drugged them earlier than violently raping them.
They mentioned Thursday that the trauma plagued them for the many years that adopted, hurting their relationships and filling their lives with concern. But they mentioned his sentencing gave them some aid.
“I don’t have to carry your shame around with me anymore,” the primary lady who spoke mentioned. “Now it’s important to maintain that disgrace. You have to take a seat in a cell and maintain it.”
Masterson starred with Ashton Kutcher, Mila Kunis and Topher Grace in “That ’70s Show” from 1998 till 2006.
He had reunited with Kutcher on the 2016 Netflix comedy “The Ranch,” however was written off the present when the Los Angeles Police Department investigation was revealed the next 12 months.
While that investigation started earlier than a wave of girls shook Hollywood with tales about Harvey Weinstein in October 2017, the conviction and sentencing of Masterson nonetheless symbolize a serious #MeToo period success for Los Angeles prosecutors, together with the conviction of Weinstein himself final 12 months.