Appeal denied: Actor Danny Masterson to remain in prison until at least 2042

A California appeals court has rejected actor Danny Masterson's appeal of his rape conviction and 30-year prison sentence. Masterson will not be eligible for release before 2042. The defense announced it will petition the California Supreme Court.

The California Second District Court of Appeal rejected the appeal of actor Danny Masterson, star of "That '70s Show," and upheld his conviction for raping two women and the 30-year prison sentence imposed. As a result, Masterson will continue serving his sentence and will not be eligible to appear before a parole board before 2042. Masterson was convicted in May 2023 on two counts of sexual assault for offenses committed at his Hollywood Hills home between 2001 and 2003. In his 89-page appeal, Masterson argued that the trial judge erred by allowing evidence regarding the internal structure of the Church of Scientology to be presented to the jury. The victims, who were church members at the time of the attacks, testified that they were pressured by church officials not to contact law enforcement. The appeals judges rejected these claims, ruling that the inclusion of the evidence was justified. The defense team announced its intention to petition the California Supreme Court.