Current:Home > InvestDanny Masterson's Lawyer Speaks Out After Actor Is Sentenced to 30 Years to Life in Prison-Angel Dreamer Wealth Society D1 Reviews & Insights
Danny Masterson's Lawyer Speaks Out After Actor Is Sentenced to 30 Years to Life in Prison
View Date:2024-12-23 16:13:07
Danny Masterson's lawyer says the actor's legal battle is not over following his jail sentence for rape, maintaining that the actor didn't commit the crimes for which he was convicted.
On Sept. 7, the actor, who rose to fame in the '90s playing Steven Hyde on That '70s Show, was sentenced to 30 years to life behind bars for raping two women in 2001 and 2003 in his Hollywood Hills home. Masterson, 47, was convicted in June in a second trial, with the jury remaining deadlocked on an additional charge that he allegedly raped a third woman.
After the hearing, Shawn Holley, one of Masterson's attorneys, said in a statement to multiple outlets that "a team of the top appellate lawyers in the country has been reviewing the transcripts of the trial" and "have identified a number of significant evidentiary and constitutional issues which they will address in briefs to both state and federal appellate courts."
The attorney continued, "The errors which occurred in this case are substantial and unfortunately, led to verdicts which are not supported by the evidence. And though we have great respect for the jury in this case and for our system of justice overall, sometimes they get it wrong. And that's what happened here."
Masterson, Holley said, "did not commit the crimes for which he has been convicted and we—and the appellate lawyers—the best and the brightest in the country—are confident that these convictions will be overturned."
After the Los Angeles County Superior Court's sentencing of Masterson, Alison Anderson, a lawyer representing two accusers, said in a statement to E! News that her clients had "displayed tremendous strength and bravery" in coming forward. She added, "Despite persistent harassment, obstruction and intimidation, these courageous women helped hold a ruthless sexual predator accountable today."
In addition, Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón said in a statement to E! News that he applauded the women for "coming forward and participating in this process."
He continued, "My hope is that this sentence will somehow bring them peace and that their bravery will be an example to others." He also said, "One of my top priorities is to ensure that Los Angeles will no longer be a hunting ground for Hollywood elite who feel entitled to prey on women."
Prosecutors had said that Masterson, who previously pleaded not guilty to the rape charges, met the accusers through the Church of Scientology. The women had accused the organization of pressuring them into not reporting the allegations to police. The church denied those allegations, telling E! News in a statement earlier this year that the group "has no policy prohibiting or discouraging members from reporting criminal conduct of anyone—Scientologists or not—to law enforcement."
Masterson's career had already been impacted by the allegations prior to his conviction this year. In 2017, after he was first accused of sexually assaulting multiple women, the actor was fired from the Netflix series The Ranch.
(E! and NBC News are part of the NBCUniversal family.)
For the latest breaking news updates, click here to download the E! News AppveryGood! (48225)
Related
- Brittany Cartwright Defends Hooking Up With Jax Taylor's Friend Amid Their Divorce
- CosMc's spinoff location outpaces traditional McDonald's visits by double in first month
- New Mexico House advances plan to boost annual state spending by 6.5%
- Step Inside Jason Kelce and Kylie Kelce’s Winning Family Home With Their 3 Daughters
- 'Dangerous and unsanitary' conditions at Georgia jail violate Constitution, feds say
- Margot Robbie breaks silence on best actress Oscar snub: There's no way to feel sad when you know you're this blessed
- AP-NORC poll finds an uptick in positive ratings of the US economy, but it’s not boosting Biden
- Idaho ruling helps clear the way for a controversial University of Phoenix acquisition
- Harriet Tubman posthumously named a general in Veterans Day ceremony
- Hinton Battle, who played Scarecrow in Broadway's 'The Wiz,' dies at 67 after long illness
Ranking
- Ben Foster files to divorce Laura Prepon after 6 years, according to reports
- TikTok, Snap, X and Meta CEOs grilled at tense Senate hearing on social media and kids
- Archaeologists in Egypt embark on a mission to reconstruct the outside of Giza's smallest pyramid
- More Americans apply for unemployment benefits but layoffs still historically low
- NASCAR Championship race live updates, how to watch: Cup title on the line at Phoenix
- John Podesta named senior Biden climate adviser as John Kerry steps down as climate envoy
- Alec Baldwin pleads not guilty to involuntary manslaughter in 'Rust' shooting case
- Is Elon Musk overpaid? Why a Delaware judge struck down Tesla CEO's $55 billion payday
Recommendation
-
Justice Department says jail conditions in Georgia’s Fulton County violate detainee rights
-
Archaeologists in Egypt embark on a mission to reconstruct the outside of Giza's smallest pyramid
-
Japanese flight controllers re-establish contact with tipped-over SLIM moon lander
-
Step Inside Jason Kelce and Kylie Kelce’s Winning Family Home With Their 3 Daughters
-
Ariana Grande's Brunette Hair Transformation Is a Callback to Her Roots
-
Inside Donald Trump’s curious relationship with Fox News — and what it means for other candidates
-
A beheading video was on YouTube for hours, raising questions about why it wasn’t taken down sooner
-
2 homeowners urged to evacuate due to Pennsylvania landslide