Guernsey Press

‘Hopelessly deadlocked’ jurors lead to mistrial for actor Danny Masterson

The 46-year-old was charged with the rape of three women, including a former girlfriend, in his Hollywood Hills home between 2001 and 2003.

Published
Last updated

A judge declared a mistrial after jurors became “hopelessly deadlocked” in the case of That ’70s Show actor Danny Masterson, who was charged with three rapes.

Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Charlaine Olmedo had ordered the jurors to take Thanksgiving week off and keep deliberating after they told her on November 18 that they could not come to a consensus about the rape allegations after a month-long trial in which the Church of Scientology played a supporting role.

Masterson, 46, was charged with the rape of three women, including a former girlfriend, in his Hollywood Hills home between 2001 and 2003.

He pleaded not guilty and his lawyer said the acts were all consensual.

“I find the jurors hopelessly deadlocked,” the judge declared after inquiring whether there was anything the court could do to move them closer to reaching a unanimous decision.

Jurors said they had voted seven times on Tuesday and Wednesday without being able to reach consensus on any of the three counts.

The jury foreman said only two jurors voted for conviction on the first count, four voted for conviction on the second count and five voted to convict on the third count.

Lisa Marie Presley performs
Lisa Marie Presley was named as a witness by the prosecution but was ultimately not called (Andy Butterton/PA)

The result was a serious setback for prosecutors and for the three women who said they were seeking long overdue justice.

The proceedings took place amid a flurry of cases on both coasts with MeToo connotations, including the Los Angeles trial of Harvey Weinstein just down the hall from Masterson’s.

In New York, Kevin Spacey won a sexual misconduct conduct lawsuit brought by actor Anthony Rapp while in a separate civil case a jury ordered director and screenwriter Paul Haggis to pay 10 million dollars (£8.3m).

Sorry, we are not accepting comments on this article.