Masterson arrives at the Los Angeles court to learn his fate with his wife, Bijou Phillips<\/p>\n
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A jury in Los Angeles has found US actor Danny Masterson guilty on two out of three counts of rape.<\/p>\n
The star of That \u201970s Show, a TV series, faces up to 30 years in prison. He was led from court in handcuffs.<\/p>\n
Three women, all former members of the Church of Scientology, accused the actor of sexual assault at his Hollywood home from 2001-03.<\/p>\n
Prosecutors argued Masterson had relied on his status as a prominent Scientologist to avoid accountability.<\/p>\n
The jury of seven women and five men was unable to reach a verdict on a third count after a week of deliberations, ending up deadlocked at 8-4.<\/p>\n
One of his victims, who was raped in 2003, said in\u00a0a statement quoted by the Associated Press: \u201cI am experiencing a complex array of emotions \u2013 relief, exhaustion, strength, sadness \u2013 knowing that my abuser, Danny Masterson, will face accountability for his criminal behavior.\u201d<\/p>\n
Masterson\u2019s wife, actress and model Bijou Phillips, wept as he was led away,\u00a0CBS News reports. Other family and friends sat stone-faced.<\/p>\n
Another jury in an earlier trial was unable to reach a verdict in December 2022.<\/p>\n
Prosecutors chose to retry Masterson and this time the judge allowed attorneys to present new evidence that had been barred from the first trial.<\/p>\n
Though the actor was not charged with drugging his victims, the jury heard testimony that the women had been dosed before he raped them.<\/p>\n
Masterson was first accused of rape in 2017 during the height of the #MeToo movement. He responded by saying that he had not been charged or convicted of a crime, and that in the climate at the time \u201cit seems as if you are presumed guilty the moment you are accused\u201d.<\/p>\n
Charges came after a three-year investigation by the Los Angeles Police Department. Prosecutors did not file charges in two other cases because of insufficient evidence and the statute of limitations expiring.<\/p>\n
Throughout the trial, prosecutors argued that the Church of Scientology had helped cover up the assaults \u2013 an allegation the organisation has categorically denied.<\/p>\n
At the time of the assaults, Masterson and all three of his accusers were Scientologists. Several of the women said it took them years to come forward because Church of Scientology officials discouraged them from reporting the rape to police.<\/p>\n
Instead, they were forced to rely on the Church\u2019s \u201cinternal justice system\u201d, prosecutors said.<\/p>\n
Scientology officials told one survivor she would be kicked out of the Church unless she signed a non-disclosure agreement and accepted a payment of $400,000 (\u00a3320,000), according to prosecutors.<\/p>\n
Judge Charlaine Olmedo allowed both sides to discuss the dogma and practices of Scientology.<\/p>\n
But Deputy District Attorney Ariel Anson told jurors during the trial: \u201cThe Church taught his victims, \u2018Rape isn\u2019t rape, you caused this, and above all, you are never allowed to go to law enforcement.’\u201d<\/p>\n
Throughout the trial, the defence tried to undermine the credibility of the \u201cJane Does\u201d by focusing on inconsistencies in their testimony and their supposed drive to get \u201crevenge\u201d against their former Church.<\/p>\n
During closing arguments, Masterson\u2019s defence lawyer said of the survivors: \u201cIf you are looking for motives why people are not being truthful\u2026 there are motives all over the place.\u201d<\/p>\n
Although the Church of Scientology was not a defendant in the case, before closing arguments began, a lawyer with ties to the Church emailed the district attorney\u2019s office to complain about the way the Church was portrayed during the retrial.<\/p>\n
The defence also argued that the prosecution had relied heavily on testimony about drugging because there was an absence of evidence of any force or violence.<\/p>\n
Masterson\u2019s lawyers tried, unsuccessfully, to have a mistrial declared.<\/p>\n
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