Danny Masterson, an actor that starred in the hit TV series "That '70s Show" as Steven Hyde, was sentenced to 30 years in prison after being found guilty in May of raping two women more than two decades ago.
Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Charlaine Olmedo gave the sentencing on Thursday. The 47-year-old displayed no visible emotion at the time as the judge threw the book at him.
Danny Masterson Convicted to 30 Years in Prison
In a statement, Olmedo said that Masterson may believe he was sitting there steadfast amid his claims of innocence with no double belief that he is the victim of the justice system. However, the judge noted that he was not the victim.
The defendant's wife, Bijou Phillips, a model and actress who constantly attended her husband's trials, immediately wore a pair of sunglasses following the judge's announcement of the sentence. As per NBC News, she left the Los Angeles courtroom without saying a word.
The sentencing of Masterson comes four months after he was found guilty of two of the three rape counts he faced during his retrial in Los Angeles. The disgraced actor was previously charged with the rape of three women, identified at trial as Jane Doe #1, Jane Doe #2, and Jane Doe #3, between 2001 and 2003.
The defendant, a once popular sitcom star, did not take the stand at either of his trials in the case and, via his lawyers, repeatedly denied sexually assaulting the supposed victims. Additionally, Masterson did not make any statement at his sentencing and simply sat across the two women he was convicted of raping silently.
In court, Jane Doe #2 said that when Masterson raped her, he stole from her, adding that the crime was a "theft of the spirit." She added that the defendant is pathetic, disturbed, and completely violent. The accuser said the world would be better off if the actor were in prison.
Allegations of Rape
During the final trial, prosecutors in Masterson's case argued that the actor, a prominent Scientologist, used his role in the church to avoid accountability for the alleged attacks. The other woman that the actor is accused o raping said that he did not show even an ounce of remorse for the pain that he caused the victims, according to The Guardian.
The women who testified and helped in Masterson's conviction said that the actor gave them drinks, making them feel woozy. They then passed out, and that was when the defendant violently raped them.
In a statement, District Attorney George Gascon said that this has been a long and arduous road for the victims of the disgraced actor. He noted that not only did they survive the abuse, but they also survived a system that is often not kind to victims.
Last year, a deadlocked jury led to a mistrial, and prosecutors retried Masterson in May, successfully having him convicted of two counts of rape. The church the actor belongs to was also accused of trying to silence the women to prevent them from saying anything against the actor, said NPR.
