A jury convicted Danny Masterson of two out of the three rape counts

In 2017, as part of the Me Too movement and the larger outing of serial predators, several women came forward to tell their stories about Danny Masterson. Masterson was accused of raping four women under similar circumstances across several years. The women made statements to the LAPD and the police slow-rolled the investigation. At first, Masterson’s friends stood by him and Netflix even stood by him, keeping him employed for months after the LAPD opened the investigation. Finally, in 2020, Masterson was arrested and charged for multiple rapes. The first trial happened last fall, and it ended in mistrial. The retrial happened throughout May, and the jury deliberated for a week before they came back with the verdict on Wednesday: guilty of rape on two of the three counts.

The jury in Danny Masterson’s rape retrial today found the actor guilty on the majority of the three counts against him. After the verdicts were read out and the jury dismissed, Masterson was deemed a flight risk by Judge Charlaine Olemdo. With a dazed look on his face, the actor was cuffed and taken into custody despite the pleas of his lawyers. The next hearing on motions in the matter has been scheduled for August 4. A Sentencing hearing has not yet been set.

The actor is facing 30 years behind bars on the two counts he was found guilty of. Yet, similar to the first trial that ended late last year, the jurors were unable to reach a unanimous verdict on sexual assault charges against Masterson.

Coming into court just before 1:50 p.m.. the jury informed the defendant, Judge Olemdo and others present that they found Masterson guilty of the “forceable rape” of two of the Jane Does, Jen B and N.T.

However, in what is still a stinging rebuke to the LA County District Attorney’s office, the jury foreperson acknowledged that after five votes, the panel was “hopelessly deadlocked” on the third count with a breakdown of eight guilty and four not guilty at last count. The last count involved Jane Doe #3 a.k.a Christina B, a former long term girlfriend of the defendant.

Looking at 15 to life on each charge he was found guilty of, Masterson sat expressionless as the verdicts were read out. However, seated just a few feet way, his wife Bijou Phillips could be heard crying in the courtroom. Other family and members of the actor’s legal team were openly crying also. After Masterson was taken away, family members like brother-in-law Billy Baldwin and friends stayed in the courtroom in an obvious state of shock.

[From Deadline]

“The last count involved Jane Doe #3 a.k.a Christina B, a former long term girlfriend of the defendant.” There are a lot of people out there who believe, at a fundamental level, that if two people are in a relationship, it’s not rape. I’ve read Christina’s story once and I never want to read it again – I believe her. I believe that Masterson hurt her and raped her while they were dating. But the jury couldn’t agree on it. Still, I’m glad that he was convicted of the other two counts. It was justice delayed, but still, some small justice for Masterson’s victims. I hope all of those women are doing okay this week.

Photos courtesy of Backgrid.