Danny Masterson’s trial support letters from Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis revealed
Victims condemn Church of Scientology and ‘coward’ former sitcom star as judge dismantles defence case
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Danny Masterson received letters of support from Mila Kunis and Ashton Kutcher ahead of his sentencing, it has been revealed.
Masterson, 47, was given a sentence of 30 years to life in a Los Angeles court on Thursday for the rapes of two women two decades ago.
It has since emerged that his That 70’s Show co-stars Kunis and Kutcher were among 50 people who wrote letters of support before the sentencing.
In their letters, published by Los Angeles-based court reporter Meghann Cuniff, the couple vouched for Masterson’s “exceptional character” and pleaded for Judge Charlaine Olmedo’s leniency.
A jury found Masterson guilty of two counts in May after seven days of deliberations. Both attacks took place in Masterson’s Hollywood Hills home in 2003, when he was at the height of his fame on the Fox network sitcom.
The jury could not reach a unanimous verdict on a third count, an allegation that Masterson also raped a longtime girlfriend.
Prosecutors alleged that Masterson used his prominence in the Church of Scientology — where all three women were also members at the time — to avoid consequences for decades after the attacks.
Did Conan O’Brien know?
A resurfaced chat show clip of Danny Masterson takes on a chilling new light in the wake of his sentencing of 30 years to life in prison for multiple rapes.
The video is taken from 2004 when the 47-year-old actor, who starred in That ’70s Show, appeared on the NBC series Late Night with Conan O’Brien. The rapes he has been convicted of happened one year earlier.
Read more:
’I’ve heard about you,’ Conan O’Brien tells now-convicted rapist after lewd comment
Who is Masterson’s wife Bijou Phillips?
Reports indicate Masterson’s wife, Bijou Phillips, was visibly upset in court when her husband of 12 years was convicted on 31 May following seven days of jury deliberation and a mistrial in 2022. The 43-year-old model clung to Masterson’s side for the duration of his trial, showing no signs she plans to leave or divorce him as of now.
Her husband’s trial joins a long list of scandals Bijou has encountered throughout her life. For those who aren’t familiar, here’s a little background on the sitcom star’s wife.
Read more:
Bijou, daughter of The Mamas & The Papas lead musician John Phillips, and his third wife Geneviève Waïte, met Masterson in 2004 and tied the knot with ‘That 70s Show’ lead in 2011
Judge ‘verbally dismantled’ Masterson’s defence
Legal affairs journalist Meghann Cuniff reported from the court in Los Angeles that Judge Charlaine Olmedo “verbally dismantled” Masterson’s defence.
“Mr Masterson, you are not the victim here. Your actions 20 years ago took away another person’s choice and voice. Your actions 20 years ago today were criminal, and that’s why you are here,” Judge Olmedo told the actor at his sentence hearing on Thursday (7 September).
Per Cuniff:
Olmedo told Masterson she knows he’s wondering “how you can be convicted of each charge of sexual incident occurring 20 years ago” involving “a woman who you believe is disgruntled and has a vendetta against you.”
But, Olmedo said, “you were not convicted on the testimony of one person.”
“You were not convicted based on rumors, innuendo, gossip and speculation,” Olmedo said. “You were convicted based on evidence that 12 people in the community found to be credible. … You were convicted because each of the victims reported the rapes to someone shortly after the rapes occurred.”
Judge Olmedo also noted that Masterson had paid one of his victims nearly $1m to sign a non-disclosure agreement, describing it as “an awful lot to pay” for an incident he claimed never happened.
Danny Masterson’s daughter, 9, and wife are ‘lost’ without him
Danny Masterson’s nine-year-old daughter and wife Bijou Phillips, are said to be “lost” without the actor.
Ahead of his sentencing trial on Thursday (7 September), Masterson’s brother urged the judge, in a character letter, “for your utmost compassion with regards to Danny so that his family may get to see him again, his young daughter and wife most importantly. They are lost without him, as we all are”.
“I understand the lengthy sentence he is facing per the statute and letter of the law,” Jordan Masterson wrote. “My brother is looking at the rest of his life in prison. I pray that isn’t the outcome.”
“Danny is a loving father to his daughter and a loving husband to his wife,” Jordan added. “He cares deeply for his family and always puts their needs first and foremost above his. When his wife needed a kidney transplant and was on dialysis for more than a year, my brother was by her side every step of the way. He moved mountains to get her the treatment she needed. Taking care of a young child and a gravely sick wife while also trying to maintain a career to pay for all of the above is extremely hard as you can imagine. But he did it. Never once did he complain or lament his situation.”
Billy Baldwin attests to Danny Masterson’s ‘trustworthiness’ in character letter
Actor Billy Baldwin – brother of Alec Baldwin – was among 50 people who wrote character letters on behalf of convicted rapist Danny Masterson, ahead of his sentencing on Thursday (7 September).
Baldwin, 60, is the brother-in-law of Masterson, whose wife, Bijou Phillips, is the sister of Baldwin’s wife, Chynna Phillips.
“I know that Danny has been convicted of a very serious crime and is facing a lengthy prison sentence,” the Backdraft actor wrote. “The purpose of this letter is to inform you about the Danny Masterson that I know. Danny the man, the friend, colleague, family member, husband, and father. Things that were not discussed in court but I think are vitally important for you to know.”
He continued: “Never in my entire life have I had more people refer to someone as ‘family,’ ‘my brother’ and ‘best friend’ than Danny. Many of them have told me that he was there for them in their ‘greatest hour of need’ and ‘the darkest hour of their life.’”
The That ’70s Show actor was sentenced to 30 years to life in prison for raping two women two decades ago.
Full story: ‘That ’70s Show’ actor Danny Masterson sentenced to 30 years to life in prison for rapes
That ’70s Show star Danny Masterson has been sentenced to life in prison for the rapes of two women two decades ago.
He will be eligible for parole after serving 30 years.
The sentence was handed down on Thursday (7 September) by Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Charlaine F Olmedo, after she had rejected a defence motion for a new trial.
Inga Parkel reports for The Independent.
Sitcom actor was found guilty for the rapes of two women two decades ago
Why was Masterson’s case retried?
A Los Angeles jury found ‘That ’70s Show’ actor Danny Masterson guilty of two counts of rape and failed to reach a verdict on a third woman’s sexual abuse allegations
How did Masterson’s lawyer challenge allegations?
Masterson’s attorney challenged his former longterm girlfriend during her testimony at the trial as to why new details had emerged in her account of when she claimed the actor raped her in 2001.
Read more:
An attorney for Danny Masterson challenged his former girlfriend on why her trial testimony alleging the actor raped her in 2001 included new details that were missing from the accounts she first gave authorities
Judge blasts Danny Masterson as actor is sentenced to 30 years in prison for rapes
“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. But Mr Masterson, you are not the victim here. Your actions 20 years ago took away another person’s voice, and choice. One way or another you will have to come to terms with your prior actions, and their consequences.”
Read more:
Disgraced ‘That ‘70s Show’ star , who is 47 and has a nine-year-old daughter, will not be able to apply for parole until he is 77 years old
What does 30 years to life mean?
On Thursday (7 September), Danny Masterson was sentenced to 30 years to life in prison for raping two women two decades ago.
What this means is that 30 years is the minimum term the actor must serve in prison before he can potentially be let out early on good behaviour.
The minimum, however, is still flexible depending on the jurisdiction and its specific laws. Although, it’s been reported that Masterson must serve a minimum of 20 years before he’s eligible for parole.