Fun
Frisky
Nostalgic
Intense
Adventurous
Choked Up
Curious
Romantic
Weird
During a preliminary hearing on Friday a judge ordered 45-year-old That ’70s Show actor Danny Masterson to stand trial on three counts of rape.
The decision was made by Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Charlaine F. Olmedo on the fourth day of the hearing after the prosecution presented its evidence for the court.
Three women took the stand to say that Masterson, a prominent Scientologist, raped them in 2001 and 2003. The emotional testimony provided details on the alleged incidents.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Olmedo had previously declared that the testimony was credible enough for the purposes of a preliminary hearing.
Masterson has thus far denied these charges and his lawyer, Thomas Mesereau, has claimed that Masterson had consensual sex with the women, who are former Scientologists, and that he would prove his client’s innocence.
During the hearing, Mesereau challenged each of the women on discrepancies in their stories and implied that the prosecution was fueled by anti-religious bias against the Church of Scientology.
The judge found the women’s statements were credible and that church teachings discouraged them from reporting their accusations to authorities for some time.
Masterson has been free on bail since his June arrest. He is charged with three counts of rape by force or fear and could receive up to 45 years in prison if convicted.
The forthcoming trial marks the rare prosecution of a Hollywood figure in the #MeToo era despite many investigations of other celebrities that have been abandoned over the years without charges.
The alleged incidents took place as Masterson was starring as Steven Hyde on Fox TV’s retro sitcom That ’70s Show from 1998 to 2006 alongside Ashton Kutcher, Mila Kunis and Topher Grace.
He had reunited with Kutcher on the Netflix Western sitcom The Ranch when the LAPD investigation of him was revealed in March 2017. Later that year in the year he was written off the show.
Michael is a music and television junkie keen on most things that are not a complete and total bore. You can follow him on Twitter — @Tweetskoor
