Appeals court upholds 30-year sentence in Masterson rape case

A California appeals court on Tuesday upheld the convictions and 30-year prison sentence of actor Danny Masterson, who was found guilty of raping two women at his home in 2003. The three-judge panel issued an 89-page ruling and voted unanimously to deny his request for a new trial.

The court examined several claims from Masterson's defense team. It rejected arguments that the trial court had made errors serious enough to warrant a retrial. It also denied a petition asserting that Masterson received ineffective assistance from his counsel during the proceedings.

Among the rejected claims was the assertion that the convictions violated the 10-year statute of limitations for forcible rape. The panel noted the statute does not apply when there are multiple victims. The court also turned down claims that the trial judge excluded favorable evidence and that the judge displayed bias against Masterson's religion.

Masterson's first trial ended in 2022 with a jury that could not reach a verdict. He was convicted at a retrial the following year. His attorneys said in an emailed statement Tuesday that they plan to seek review at the California Supreme Court.

Masterson, 50, is serving his sentence at the California Men's Colony in San Luis Obispo. Records show he will not be eligible for parole for more than 20 years. He starred with Ashton Kutcher, Mila Kunis, and Topher Grace on "That '70s Show" from 1998 until 2006.

The case involves accusations from former members of the Church of Scientology, where Masterson is a prominent member. Those accusers said church officials told them what happened was not rape and that church policies kept them from going to the police. The church has denied having such a policy.