California Supreme Court Appeal Filed for Danny Masterson

Danny Masterson's legal team filed a petition with the California Supreme Court on Tuesday, seeking a final review of his convictions. This move follows a unanimous decision by a three-judge appeals court panel that sustained the actor's guilty verdicts and prison term. The appellate ruling was issued in an 89-page document released Tuesday.

The court found that Masterson did not prove the lower court made errors severe enough to require a new trial. The panel also denied his claim that his defense attorneys provided ineffective assistance. In the filing, his lawyers stated they would pursue the case at the state's highest court.

The timeline of the legal battle began in 2022, when a jury at Masterson's first trial deadlocked. A retrial took place in 2023, resulting in convictions for the rape of two women. The judge then sentenced Masterson to 30 years to life in prison. He has been incarcerated at the California Men's Colony in San Luis Obispo since that ruling.

The appeals court rejected several arguments raised by the defense. These included the claim that the convictions violated the 10-year statute of limitations for forcible rape. The court noted that this time limit does not apply when there are multiple victims. The panel also dismissed claims that the trial court wrongly excluded favorable evidence and showed bias against Masterson's religion.

Masterson, 50, is a prominent member of the Church of Scientology. His accusers are former members of the church. They stated that officials told them the assaults were not rape and that internal policies prevented them from contacting police. The church denied having such a policy. Masterson will not be eligible for parole for more than 20 years.

The actor gained fame starring in the television series That '70s Show, which aired from 1998 to 2006 alongside Ashton Kutcher, Mila Kunis, and Topher Grace. He later appeared in the 2016 Netflix comedy The Ranch with Kutcher. Masterson was written off that series after the sexual assault allegations became public.