Danny Masterson Rape Case Retrial Set For March; “Fight Is Far From Over,” Jane Does Say After Jury Hung On Charges – Update

(Updated with retrial date & Jane Does statement) Danny Masterson’s trial on three counts of forcible rape has been declared a mistrial.

The jury in the former That 70s Show star’s trial say they are unable to reach a verdict on any of the three criminal counts that Masterson has been charged with.

The six men and six women panel informed LA Superior Court Judge Charlaine Olemdo Wednesday afternoon that they are stuck. “After thorough and considerable discussion, it is clear that we as jurors are adamant about maintaining our individual positions on each of the three counts,” the jurors said in a letter read aloud by Judge Olemdo. Soon after the Judge formally declared a mistrial, something the defense has sought since almost Day 1 of testimony back in late October.

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A retrial date of March 27, 2023 has been set.

Looking at up to 45 years in state prison if found guilty, Masterson was first arrested in 2020 and has been free on $3 million bail. The actor, who was quickly fired from Netflix’s comedy The Ranch at the end of 2017 as claims became known, always has denied he had nonconsensual sex between 2001 and 2003 with the alleged victims or anyone else.

The jurors told the downtown LA courtroom this afternoon that they were deeply divided on all of the trio of counts. On Court 1, it was 10 thought Masterson not guilty, two believed he was guilty. Count 2 saw eight going for not guilty, four for guilty. Lastly, the panel said on Count 3, they were seven for not guilty, five for guilty.

Two of the women at the heart of the prosecution’s unsuccessful case quickly reacted to events today

“We would first like to thank the jury for its public service,” said Jane Doe #2, and Jane #3 in a statement along with others in the currently stayed civil case against Masterson and the Church of Scientology in a statement after the mistrial was declared.”

“We are obviously disappointed that, at least for the time being, Daniel Masterson has evaded criminal accountability for his deplorable acts,” the former Scientologists added. “However, we are collectively resolved to continue our fight for justice, including in civil court, where we have alleged that Mr. Masterson, along with the Church of Scientology, its leader David Miscavige, and others conspired to systematically stalk, harass, and intimidate us when we sought to shed light on Mr. Masterson’s actions. This legal fight is far from over, and it is critical that we reckon with Scientology’s alleged role in covering up reports of abuse and threatening victims.”

Masterson’s clearly happy Phillip Cohen-led defense and the LA County District Attorney’s office now face a situation similar to what occurred in Bill Cosby’s 2017 rape trial. That matter was taken up again by the Pennsylvania courts in 2018 and saw the much accused man once known as “America’s Dad” labelled a sex offender and  sentenced to 3 to 10 years in prison for the 2004 rape of former Temple University employee Andrea Constand. Of course, in 2021, Cosby was sprung from prison after the Pennsylvania Supreme Court overturned his sexual assault conviction, spotlighting flaws with the methodology of prosecutors’ case against the comedian after decades earlier declining to file charges

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