Danny Masterson has filed an appeal against his rape conviction, claiming the trial was affected by errors and biases that denied him a fair process. The “That 70s Show” star is currently serving a 30-year sentence after being convicted in September 2023 for sexually assaulting two women in 2003.
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Masterson’s attorney, Cliff Gardner, submitted a 246-page document highlighting two significant alleged flaws in the actor’s convictions. Gardner claims the trial was “rife with erroneous judicial rulings” that unfairly influenced the jury’s perception of the evidence against Masterson. Additionally, the attorney asserts that “a stunning amount of exculpatory evidence” was never presented to the jury, which could have altered the trial’s outcome, Page Six reported.
Gardner further claimed that Masterson’s lawyer would file a Petition of Writ of Habeas Corpus to address additional defects in the trial. Masterson’s conviction followed a retrial in May 2023 after the original jury could not reach a unanimous verdict.
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Although he was found guilty of two counts of rape, the jury deadlocked on a third count, leading to a mistrial and dismissal of that charge. The accusations stemmed from incidents in 2003 involving three women, all who were members of the Church of Scientology, like Masterson.
Masterson’s defense team has consistently denied the allegations, with his attorney at the time, Tom Mesereau, describing the charges as “nearly 20-year-old allegations” that were false.
