Actor Danny Masterson prison sentence: 30 years to life on two guilty rape counts
In a shocking and what many feel was a well-deserved court decision, actor Danny Masterson was sentenced to 30 years to life in prison after being found guilty on two counts of rape. The sentencing was handed down yesterday in a Los Angeles courtroom. Both rapes reportedly took place in Masterson’s Hollywood-area home in 2003, when he was at the height of his fame on the Fox network sitcom “That ’70s Show,” according to the Associated Press.
The last time we saw Masterson on the small screen, he was performing alongside “That ’70s Show” alum Ashton Kutcher in Netflix’s sitcom “The Ranch.” He was terminated from that role when his rape allegations came to light in 2017.
His victims were allowed to vent their decades of pain and suffering at the hands of Masterson in court, one of them saying:
“When you raped me, you stole from me,” said one woman 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 said. “The world is better off with you in prison.” ~ CBS-12 News
Masterson has been behind bars since May, when he was convicted of those rape counts.
Masterson, a member of the Church of Scientology, met his victims through the Church of Scientology. He was charged with a third count of rape by a third victim; but that case was deadlocked in court and he could not be found guilty on that third count, according to NPR.
Actress Leah Remini, a former and outspoken member of the Church of Scientology, applauded Masterson’s sentence, saying in part, “I am relieved that this dangerous rapist will be off the streets and unable to violently assault and rape women with the help of Scientology, a multi-billion-dollar criminal organization with tax-exempt status.”
You can read Remini’s complete and heart-felt statement on Twitter:
NBC News shared that the 47-year-old Masterson “showed no visible emotion after Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Charlaine Olmedo threw the book at him.” Masterson’s lawyer said that he would be appealing that 30 year to life sentence.
For more on the story, see the video below.
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(Danny Masterson cover photo, Image credit: Twitter)
~ Posted by Richard Webster, Ace News Today
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