At the end of May of this year, Danny Masterson was finally convicted of two out of three rape charges. This was the second trial, after the first one ended in mistrial last year. Masterson’s predatory and disturbing behavior dates back years, but he was only outed as a serial rapist during the Me Too movement, when his victims began telling their stories to the LAPD. Masterson’s conviction is one of the few times a high-profile predator – and a Scientologist to boot – has been convicted in a court of law. Anyway, Masterson was sentenced this week. I was shocked by the number of years.
That ’70s Show” star Danny Masterson was sentenced Thursday to 30 years to life in prison for raping two women more than two decades ago at his Hollywood Hills home. Masterson, 47, displayed no visible emotion after Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Charlaine Olmedo threw the book at him.
“Mr. Masterson, I know that you’re sitting here steadfast in your claims of innocence, and thus no doubt feeling victimized by a justice system that has failed you,” Olmedo said just before dispatching Masterson to prison. “But Mr. Masterson, you are not the victim here.”
Masterson’s wife, Bijou Phillips, a model and actress who was a constant presence at her husband’s trials, quickly donned a pair of sunglasses after Olmedo announced the sentence and left the Los Angeles courtroom without a word.
Masterson was hit with the staggering sentence four months after he was convicted on two of the three rape counts he faced at his retrial in Los Angeles. He had been charged with raping three women — identified at trial as Jane Doe #1, Jane Doe #2 and Jane Doe #3 — between 2001 to 2003. A once popular sitcom star, Masterson did not take the stand at either of his trials and has, via his lawyers, repeatedly denied sexually assaulting the women. Nor did Masterson make any statement at his sentencing. Instead, the actor sat silently as the two women he was convicted of raping, and a former girlfriend he was acquitted of sexually assaulting, took turns urging the judge to hit him with a harsh punishment.
“When you raped me, you stole from me,” Jane Doe #2 told the court. “That’s what rape is, a theft of the spirit. You are pathetic, disturbed and completely violent. The world is better off with you in prison.”
Jane Doe #1 said Masterson “has not shown an ounce of remorse for the pain he caused. I knew he belonged behind bars for the safety of all the women he came into contact with. I am so sorry, and I’m so upset. I wish I’d reported him sooner to the police.”
Jane Doe #3 said Masterson’s actions sentenced her to “viewing my body as a crime scene my entire life.”
I’m so glad that all three women were allowed to speak at sentencing, even though he was only technically convicted of raping two of the Jane Does. I’m glad they were heard and that their stories weighed on the judge and jury. I’m glad that the judge didn’t play the “well, he seems like a fine, upstanding man, let’s let him go with a slap on the wrist” thing.
Meanwhile, I wonder if his wife Bijou Phillips will still be ride-or-die for him after 30 years in prison. When he was convicted in May, her side told People Mag that she had no plans to leave him and she was by his side until the bitter end. Welcome to the bitter end.
Photos courtesy of Backgrid.
Justice is coming from all sides, you guys.
Bits and pieces of the patriarchy are starting to fall. It’s happening.
This is great. Now on to the civil suit that I hope is incredibly financially painful for the CoS because that’s the only way real change is going to happen with them – taking away their resources to harass, intimidate and silence their victims.
I’m worried it’ll be like Cosby though, and something will let him out early.
We are all but links in a chain….that will need to go on indefinitely, in order to not be broken.
It HAS been a good week for the justice system. I was on a jury earlier this year – it was a terrible case – sodomy, attempted rape, a weapons charge (gun), two assault charges, and kidnapping for dragging the victim across the parking lot into the bushes so he could assault her. The prosecution had a DNA match, so the public defender was stuck saying what you’d expect. But the usual stuff (being out late at night, being a drug user, etc.) did not work. Granted, my city is pretty liberal, but it was still good to see that approach fail.
We found him guilty on all charges and the judge later sentenced him to 32 years. My point being that it really is important for us to continue to participate in the system, even when it doesn’t get the job done sometimes. I feel like I did my part.
Thank you for your service.
You can really tell how deep the patriarchy runs. I, an extremely liberal, extremely vocal person about rape and sexual assault and its impacts, still first off thought, “that seems really long, wow.” Why does it seem long? The victim statements really say it, your own body as a crime scene, the lifelong pain. I’ve been raped a few times. It really messed me up. I never reported it. I was too humiliated, too scared it would be turned on me, TOO AFRAID OF MESSING UP THEIR LIVES. Their lives. What about mine???? It’s so ingrained in me, it makes me ill.
Both times for me it was date rape, both perpetrated by guys that I liked. I felt responsible. I said no, they didn’t listen, I couldn’t stop them. The consequences have been far-reaching.
Cold blood jelly donut,
I hope you continue to heal. Thank you for sharing your experience. I have found long-term therapy to be the most helpful for my own recovery. Take care.
He will appeal. Hopefully that judge will extend he sentenced to life. , but somehow I doubt it.
He is worse than a sewer rat. I can’t even stand looking at him.
Amazed (and pleased) at the sentence. The “to life” is a good message.
Fuck. Yes. This sentence is very much deserved, and I hope it ends up being closer to the “…to life” part rather than just 30 years. While all rapes are horrific and dehumanizing, many of the things he was accused (and convicted) of were particularly violent and disturbing.
He’s a serial rapist. These are the three cases we know about. I’m glad he’s off the street, hopefully for good.
Exactly, I agree strongly with both of you. His victims (and I wonder how many there truly are) have to live with this for the rest of their lives so it’s only fair that he also faces lifelong consequences.
Now, on to dealing with his enablers in the CoS.
Good.I’m done with the violence against women and girls being an international pastime
My wish is they put him in general population and if they do then Danny don’t bend over to pick up your soap. I won’t hold my breath.
I am glad he got a good sentence and I hope he dies in prison. I still don’t like prison rape jokes.
Those jokes only reinforce the idea that some people deserve to be raped.
Thank you, Betsy and Clotog. I fully agree.
Great news! I hope the victims feel some sort of closure after this. The little I know of what they went through is horrific.
Two other things: I read about this first on CNN and I was pleasantly surprised that they openly linked this story with Scientology and how the LAPD colluded with the church to try to squash the whole story starting back in 2004 when one of the victims first reported the crime. CNN even provided a link in their article to Tony Ortega’s blog where he details how Leah Remini was so involved in trying to find people in the LAPD who didn’t collude with Scientologists.
AND I am not on twitter, so please let me know if the people of the internet are rightfully dragging Ashton Kutcher for supporting a second violent rapist. (The first being the football coach at Penn State)
GAH of course, I meant QUASH, not squash.
Yay! So glad to see this sentence. And I’m glad to hear that at least cnn is discussing how the cops did nothing for years. As for Ashton, there was a little dragging on Twitter, but not enough.
Thanks for the info on CNN story. Was wondering when the LAPD-Scientology linkage would be exposed further and/or weakened.
Wow, I’m shocked, too. I’m so used to seeing some kind of quibbling to soften the blow.
I admit I was really surprised at this, in a good way. 30 years! No talk about how much he’s done for society or how this will ruin his career or whatever. Nope, 30 years! I’m relieved watching from the sidelines, can’t imagine how his victims feels.
I don’t know enough about this case. Why did it get such an amazing result? I’ve never heard of 30 years for two counts of rape. Why him and not Cosby, that swimmer douche, etc? When so many others slid by.
Part of it is that it’s two 15-year charges, but the judge said no to allowing him to serve concurrently.
It’s because of the particularly heinous nature of these cases. Vulture carried the full stories – absolutely a TW on those.
Because of the jurisdiction, California has a very serious one-strike law in which this sentencing is automatic involving cases with violent aggravating factors which Danny hit by how brutal he was, the fact a gun was involved, he held victims against their will locked in rooms, etc.
Good. It’s nice to see justice being served.
I am very happy about this, but he will appeal for sure. Does he have a chance of getting released if there is a new trial? Are there any lawyers here who can explain?
Last week the judge denied the defense’s request for a new trial. Idk what options that have for appeals on verdict or sentencing though.
I think he has 60 days to appeal the sentence (at least I thought that’s what I read)
It’s nice to finally have a judge that isn’t falling over themselves with “himpathy” for the rapist instead of sympathy for the victim
Thanks guys! I haven’t delved too deeply into this story because these things can be triggering. Apologies to the writer of this article if I’ve missed something.
I’m sure he will appeal and he will not be released while that appeal is happening. Appeals have to be made on fairly narrow (procedural) grounds. The jury decided the facts and that will stand unless there is evidence that the jury ignored the facts, and that isn’t the case here. His team will try to drum up some procedural errors but I’d be suprised if they prevail. But no one is letting this guy out and appeals can take years.
The trauma these women have gone through for DECADES is alarming — they were mistreated for years by Scientology, they lost their Scientologist friends and family — one woman recounted being mistreated by her own mother and losing her. Imagine being violently raped, then made to do penance by your religion, literally pay money for this penance, losing your loved ones and being harassed on social media and followed TO THIS DAY. How is it possible to not define your life by the rape and heal?
Religions that shun people who leave truly need to lose the support of the community. America has too much socially enforced support for religion. So much abuse gets hushed up and hidden in its name.
So happy this is happening.
That’s the definitive difference between a cult and organized religion. Arguments can be made that all religions are cult like but isolating members and shunning those who leave is dangerous. We know plenty of religions protect the sexual predators in their ranks but the C0$ influence in law enforcement is extra terrifying. Will Danny’s conviction and sentencing be the first domino?
Wow, I didn’t expect that, but it’s good to see. I hope his victims, and I assume there are even more than these three, I feel some sense of justice and relief. They were incredibly brave and strong to testify in court.
I cannot begin to comprehend the courage it for these incredible women to pursue justice. I hope and pray that Masterson is locked up for a very long time, just so they can begin to heal. And I fervently hope it’s the beginning of the end for the COS.
WOW, nice day for justice, not something we can usually say for rape cases. And a bonus FUCK Scientology and their terror tactics. Every article should include details of the illegal harassment and intimidation linked to these cases.
All the love and respect in the world to those women for going through the brutal legal process.
I will hold my further commentary for the inevitable Ashton Kutcher/Mila Kunis post.
They both sent letters of support to the judge. Disgusting.
What’s mind blowing to me is that Mackenzie Phillips was there supporting him in court. The same Mackenzie who was molested by her father and the father of Bijou. And when she went public with that abuse Bijou did NOT support her at all and even implied that she was lying.
So I can see how Bijou is in denial because that’s what she’s used to but Mackenzie supporting him as well as her is so odd to me.
It makes you wonder if Ashton’s whole anti-trafficking platform is just a way to deflect attention from the fact that his Hollywood friends are basically a circle of predators.
My god! Well, those are their true colors, folks. I know he is your friend, but he’s also a serial rapist.
Many people on here have said that Ashton Kutcher/Mila Kunis have helped with fundraising for Co$; it makes me wonder if they are dabbling in the cult. Seeing how the cult has ties to trafficking, it even more of a side eye Ashton’s whole anti-trafficking platform. All of this is giving major red flags about the two of them.
Tony Ortega has posted some of the letters on his substack account. I am not sure if links are ok here. but easy enough to google.
Let me say, I will never, ever watch support anything Ashton or Mila does again. They can go rot for supporting this POS and discounting everything Danny Masterson has done to these women.
what struck me is how much ashton went on about how honest this rapist is. that’s pretty much the same as saying that the women wete lying and the rapist was telling the truth. these two are vile and i hope their opportunities dry up. i guess they are courting the scientology connections now, having no problem selling out victims for a cult.
““Mr. Masterson, I know that you’re sitting here steadfast in your claims of innocence, and thus no doubt feeling victimized by a justice system that has failed you,” Olmedo said just before dispatching Masterson to prison. “But Mr. Masterson, you are not the victim here.””
Brilliant words from Judge Olmedo! I very much appreciate how she subtly worded how his victims felt for years: “…thus no doubt feeling victimized by a justice system that has failed you…” and how she emphasized that he is NOT the victim!
The Judge also pointed out he paid $430,000 in a civil suit. She said along the lines that it was a lot of money for an innocent person. BURN!!
Leah Remini came out swinging against Co$ for the decades of protecting him. She’s a one woman crusade against that misogynist, abusive cult. I worry for her. Does her fame keep her safe from their retaliation?
To a certain point yes, she is not some anonymous person whom they can write the narrative for. Also, Leah being very vocal about Co$ helps too.
She and Mike Rinder did a live stream on YouTube last night. They did address that they are still affected by ‘fair game’ tactics by Scio. Every time someone is staring at them or speaks to them they never know if it is a Scio plant. It’s hard on their mental health but they carry on.
You’d think after growing up with and incestuous pervert, Bijou would have recognized another pervert and not married him.
I just googled that. OMG. Gonna save everyone the Google. Bijou’s father John of the Mammas & Pappas cheated on his first wife with a teenager he then married. Bijou was the product of his third marriage. At some point, he began an incestuous relationship with his daughter Mackenzie from his first marriage who he raped when she was 19. Hard to speculate on how all that impacted Bijou’s mental health.
Bijou does not believe Mackenzie was SA’d by her Father.
So that tells you why she would marry and support Danny through this process. She lives with blinders on.
And the Mastersons and Scio will circle the wagons around Bijou and her child. They will never leave the cult.
Bijou supported her father – and still does. She has publicly called Mackenzie a liar. Bijous is just as a big a POS as Masterson. That’s why they are together.
Don’t forget that both of Bijou’s parents were strung out on masses of drugs for most of her childhood. If she admits her husband is a deplorable criminal, she also has to admit that her father was one as well, which opens up a whole rotten can of worms. John Phillips was a brilliant songwriter and arranger, and a complete psychopath who screwed up at least two of his kids.
Mackenzie is the only Philips I was ever a fan of, she was in a few things when I was a kid. I didn’t know any of this horror. Not putting Bijou in a good light.
I’m not defending Bijou but she did come around to dealing with her father and sister’s situation, I saw recent family shots of them together on Chynna’s Instagram. She is very close to Chynna who has always supported both her sisters. The only one who calls Mackenzie a liar is the mother, I forget her name, blonde and also in the Mama’s and Papa’s.
Bijou has always been a raging pos herself, so this is no surprise.
Jane Doe 3’s words about viewing her body as a crime scene for the rest of her life is a gut punch. I am so glad there was some justice for these – it is a rare then in SA cases to say the least. As for Masterson he got exactly what he deserved and I hope his victims can find some semblance of peace now.
So does this mean he will serve at least 30 years?
If so that will make him 77 when he is released. Bijou should divorce and get some serious therapy.
It’s 30 years to life if the Parole Board sees no remorse or change in him. He can spend way more than 30 years in prison.
Bijou needs therapy for a LOT of reasons. She is a very troubled woman and has stood up for abusers (including her own father) in the past. She needs to figure out why she feels the need to support and marry a man like this.
All things considered, I wonder if Bijou’s father abused her and she is unable to cope with it so she subconsciously pretends it didn’t happen.
It’s actually 30 years to life. Assuming all appeals fail (and they should). Danny will not be eligible to even come up for parole until he is in his mid to late 70’s. And with his indifference with his behavior throughout this whole process. I doubt he will ever admit any wrongdoing to a parole board.
He may very well die in prison one day,
As a survivor of acquaintance rape, I know that the women this POS raped will never completely heal. But therapy helps a lot. Having your church attack you and protect your rapist is a whole new level of horror that is beyond my understanding. I do know, tho, that even at almost 67 years of age, I still tear up when I hear the stories of rape survivors. (My date rape happened when I was in my early 20s.) I am still angry that I could do nothing that night except spend hours in the shower trying to finally become clean again. I don’t remember what I had for lunch yesterday but I remember that night, how I got into the situation…even what I was wearing. God bless those courageous ladies who stood up for themselves against immense odds! And thank you to the judge who said what needed to be said to that horrible abuser and rapist.
Just wanted to say how sorry I am for what you went through @MyCatLovesTV. Based on your age, I’m assuming that you were raped in the mid to late 1970’s? That was such a different time-I don’t think that the concept of date rape was even introduced until the 1980’s. I am truly sorry for you and all of the women who have had to go through this-particularly those who were assaulted in time periods where you really could not report the assault.
Much love to you @mycatlovestv. And what a thoughtful, well written comment. I can only imagine the strength you must have to write out your experience. Thank you x
Sending virtual hugs- I am so sorry for, and furious at what you went through, and for what you continue to experience as a result.
@MyCatLovesTV, I am so sorry to hear of your traumatic experience, and send all the positive and healing vibes I have to you. Your comment resonated deeply with me because I am about your age, and I too was raped by an acquaintance when I was in my early twenties. I feel I have healed from that, but I will never, ever forget it. The deep feeling of having absolutely no power or control over what was happening. The actual act was fleeting thank goodness, but I will never get over that feeling! I never reported the attack, in those days I felt it was partly my fault, and it was best just to forget it. It was what was generally thought at the time. I do wonder how many women have had the same experience, and if men will ever realise the damage they do, sometimes in the most casual sort of way. Not always men, of course, and there are many different ways people can remove agency from others, but in your and my case, it has had a lifelong effect.
Maybe the pendulum is at last swinging in the direction of true justice, and it is encouraging to know that there will be one less predator on the streets for the forseeable future. Bravo to the judge, and the brave women who battled to see justice done.
Love to all of your kind comments! Yes, it was 1981 and I was 24. I didn’t even know I was raped and I blamed myself. I let him take me home & I let him inside my apartment. When I first learned the term “date rape” I sobbed. Power to my younger generation sisters everywhere!!! Your body is YOURS! And NO means NO. Always.
GOOD. Now let’s see justice brought to his co-conspirator: the “Church” of Scientology. And by “Church,” I of course mean criminal-organization-slash-cult.
This is a very pleasant surprise. Somehow I missed all the COS/police involvement. Those three women are very brave. I hope they somehow find peace and live their lives as they wish. Oh, and maybe get a civil judgment against Masterton, too.
He went by DJ Donkey Punch. POS. That’s disgusting
Yup I remember learning what that was years ago and it’s absolutely revolting.
On Bijou, I’ve been a fan of hers since she put her record out. She’s a very talented woman, but has had a troubled childhood, was put in foster care because her parents , both of them were unfit. Imagine having John Phillips as a father. And Ik people get on Bijou about not believing Mac, but think about it, no girl wants to believe her father is a monster. If you look on YouTube, Mac tells the story of how she told Bijou and Bijou started becoming hysterical and Mac had to tell her it wasn’t true, Mac thought she could have a nervous breakdown. I think it’s interesting that she married someone just like him, but it’s not surprising. She all but left her career when she married him, which is her right of coarse, but I kinda hope now that Danny is gone, she gets back into music. Maybe channel her pain into music. I hope Hollywood doesn’t blacklist her because of Danny. She has a little girl to take care of and I think she’s unfairly getting dragged because clearly she has a mind block about believing anything bad about the men in her life.
Bijou has been a noted bully with her costars and a general mean girl friend of Paris. I hope for the sake of their child she gets it together but don’t wish a second career for her.
To all of you who continue to make puerile remarks regarding prison sexual assault, please stop. I work in a Correctional Facility and the subject is neither viewed as a joke nor a convicted person’s deserved punishment.
Perpetrators of sexual assualt are charged according to the state laws, placing further strains on an already overworked legal system. And corrections officers are often brought into investigations as it is their job to provide a level of protection for all inmates.
The pathology that not only allows but encourages Good People to wish violent harm against Bad People is disturbing and should be banned, especially on a seemingly innocuous entertainment gossip site.
Very well said Franz
Thank you! Rape is not a joke and no one deserves to be raped.
Agree 100%. Victims of prison rape often don’t get the medical care or trauma counseling they need. Young men in prison are trafficked and passed around. To joke about it is really poor form.
Finally!!!!!
This story reminds me of when I took an ex to court for stalking and raping me and having other ex’s parents greet me outside the courtroom. He moved states so he could teach again (he will never teach again in the state he stalked me in;he is a professor who preys on barely legal girls and pretends he is younger than he actually is ). Sadly, I wait for the day where all this gets revisited again when someone else takes him to court. He raped me to the point I nearly blacked out from choking me. I felt I got justice, but I do worry what else he has been up to years later because when I took him to court, I found out about his 15 years of abuse and rapes from multiple exes who reached out. Always felt he was a danger to society and needs to be in jail permanently. I am so happy Masterson can no longer harm anyone else. Bijou needs to leave him. Fullstop.
Yikes. Why didn’t he go to prison?
Ashton and Mila need to be called out, but it has been reported Scientology has a list of 50 people who signed or wrote letters vouching for Masterson. I want to see that list. Yes, Ashton and Mila fundraiser for Scientology but so did Wilmer and others. Ashton and Mila partied with him after his arrest. We also need to call out people like Dax Shepard who claim to be besties with Ashton and took over for Danny in The Ranch to keep Danny’s show going until it had all blown over. Lots of people in Hollywood knew and covered for him. Call them out.
Aaron from Growing up in scientology on YouTube has stated who everyone is and he is making videos dedicated to some of them. so far he did one on Ashton (who cant even use spell check) and Mila and the married in Baldwin.
Both of the actors who played his parents on That Seventies Show sent in a statement. I remember when people used to act like Topher Grace was some weirdo because he didnt socialize with the rest of the case. I cant blame him.
Supposedly his wife AND his sister were harassing the victims throughout this ordeal. The entire family can choke.
https://tonyortega.substack.com/p/letters-from-ashton-kutcher-mila
For people who want to read the letters
Those letters, from so many people, oh my god
One of the victim’s ❤️ Niesha Trout ❤️ commented on Twitter earlier that Ashton & Mila wrote letters to the judge begging for leniency for the criminal…and they are BOTH being dragged to HELL😡 And the comments are GENERALLY supportive ❣️
That’s great to hear that the victims are getting support and that Ashton & Mila are getting dragged.
It’s f*cking disgusting that they ask for leniency for what that piece of sh*t did to those women.
That was infuriating to hear what Ashton and Mila did. They need to shut the fuck up. How dare they?
Ick, what bothers me most after reading those letters is that it just all sounds like “Sure, he raped those women, but he’s nice to everyone else, so that should make up for it”.
All the headlines about Topher Grace being vindicated for simply being sensible and introverted during That 70’s Show. His costars, except Wilmer, wrote letters of support. The parent actors wrote too, apparent.
Topher knew they weren’t shyte! I dont know why the tv parents both writing letters shocked me a little.
this anti trafficking thing Ashton has seems to be a front for his friends. throw in how he didnt call the police when he found his date dead, talked Demi into ending her sobriety – he’s straight up trash.
I stand with the victims.
One of them has just identified herself to go after ashton publicly with dates and receipts.
I also loved topher’s wife’s post…why are we trying to figure out the why with the punishment for the rapist and not talking at all about the victims?? None of these letters say anything about the victims. It seems like so many people knew and kept it quiet…sick.
I saw a thread on Reddit that was discussing the connections between Hollywood stylist, Ilaria Urbinati & her close relationship with Danny Masterson, her defense of him & how she also played a role in trying to intimidate his victims…………She’s a stylist for celebs like; Dwyane THE ROCK Johnson, CHRIS EVANS, RAMI MALEK & RYAN Reynolds to name a FEW. Not sure why she’s so sought after because I have not been impressed with her choices in clothing for her well known clients but it is what it is. As for the Mila & Ashton situation, I’m not surprised & Topher Grace was smart to keep his distance. Honestly if the genders were reversed & I was in Topher’s position I’d be the ODD one out in that cast as well. DO YOUR JOB AND GO. Hanging out with co-workers don’t always end well.