The jury in the trial of actor Danny Masterson, accused of rape by three women, did not agree on the verdict. So much so that the judge in charge of the case declared on Wednesday the cancellation of the trial in a Los Angeles court, and set a new one for March 27.
The 46-year-old actor, famous for his role in the series That 70’s Show, was indicted in June 2020 for the rapes of three women, which he allegedly carried out between 2001 and 2003 at his Hollywood home. They were, like him, twenty-something years old at the time of the alleged facts. The jury voted seven times between Tuesday and Wednesday, without reaching an agreement:
“We are very far from reaching a unanimous decision on each of the charges, and we are convinced that the situation will not change,” the jurors said in a note sent to Judge Charlaine Olmedo, who handed down the cancellation sentence, As reported. variety.
Two of the accusers claim to have passed out after consuming drinks served by Danny Masterson. An ex-girlfriend said that she woke up to discover that the actor had had a relationship without her consent. The third said that she put a pillow over her head and she thought she was dead. The actor pleaded not guilty and assured that all sexual relations were consensual. His attorney, Philip Cohen, based his defense on inconsistencies in the three women’s accounts.
Scientology at the center of the trial
The charges against Danny Masterson were revealed in 2017 by the Los Angeles police. At the time, he argued that these accusations came from a producer opposed to the Church of Scientology, to which he belongs. as reported Associated Press, two of the accusers and the husband of one of them are suing Danny Masterson, the Church of Scientology and its director David Miscavige for having harassed and intimidated them when they wanted to present their accusations against Danny Masterson. Two of the accusers spoke about the outcome of the trial in a statement:
“We are obviously disappointed that Daniel Masterson has avoided criminal liability for his deplorable acts, at least for now.”
“Collectively, however, we are determined to continue our fight for justice, including civil justice, where we have accused Mr. Masterson, as well as the Church of Scientology, its director David Miscavige and others of conspiring to follow us, harass us and intimidate us. us when we sought to uncover Mr. Masterson’s actions,” they continued.
indignant That 70’s ShowDanny Masterson starred in the 2016 Netflix sitcom The ranchbefore being ousted the following year when the charges against him were revealed.
Source: BFM TV
