In 2023, disgraced That ’70s Present actor Danny Masterson was convicted of two counts of forcible rape. Now, his attorneys are allegedly making “undesirable contact” with the jurors of that trial by reportedly displaying as much as their properties and workplaces.
Based on Rolling Stone, a brand new courtroom submitting made by Los Angeles County Deputy District Legal professional Reinhold Mueller claimed that a number of jurors had been contacted by Masterson’s authorized group. He known as the actions “neither needed nor [were they] made at an affordable time and place as required.” In the identical submitting, he requested the courtroom conduct a full listening to on the matter “to contemplate the imposition of sanctions, if applicable, for any undesirable, harassing, or in any other case improper conduct by members of the protection group.”
As relayed by Mueller, the jurors felt involved following the confrontations, as their figuring out data was sealed by the courtroom throughout the trial’s proceedings. The jurors additionally state that the protection group did not make it clear that that they had a proper to not talk about the case.
The submitting got here after Choose Charlaine Olmedo, who presided over the 2023 trial, despatched a letter to each authorized groups addressing the jurors’ considerations. After detailing the jury members’ claims, she stated that the courtroom was “troubled that they had been approached at their properties” and issued an order requiring that any future contact with jurors first undergo the courtroom clerk.
In response Choose Olmedo’s order and Mueller’s courtroom submitting, Shawn Holley, one in every of Masterson’s former protection attorneys, submitted a declaration to the courtroom stating she had certainly met with a number of jury members, however that the conferences had been “pleasant, cordial, and forthright.” She claimed that she discovered one jury foreperson’s electronic mail on-line and subsequently reached out to satisfy at a restaurant, which the jury member agreed to. Holley stated that she obtained the knowledge of further former jurors at this meet up, main to 2 extra additionally agreeing to satisfy at a restaurant.
Holley additionally claimed that every juror she met with “indicated that I used to be welcome to contact them once more if I had follow-up questions and/or needed to satisfy once more” and that she was “assured” that her actions weren’t “undesirable, harassing, or in any other case improper.” She additionally stated she has had no additional contact with any members of the jury.
Notably, Masterson is a member of the Church of Scientology, an entity that’s confirmed itself to be unafraid of utilizing ways that border and infrequently cross the road of intimidation. As seen in documentaries like Going Clear, the church has an alleged historical past of stalking, blackmailing, and threatening these it considers adversaries.
In 2020, On the Drive-In and Mars Volta member Cedric Bixler-Zavala even claimed Scientologists poisoned his canine. Bixler-Zavala additional detailed that he and his spouse Chrissie Carnell Bixler, one of many lady who accused Masterson of rape, had been the main target of focused harassment because of talking out.
Masterson’s relationships with different celebrities, notably these concerned with or adjoining to the Church of Scientology, proceed to reverberate all through Hollywood. Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis drew criticism for his or her assist of Masterson throughout the proceedings, and Linkin Park’s new lead singer Emily Armstrong confronted scrutiny for her ties to Masterson and Scientology earlier this yr.
Masterson is presently serving a jail sentence of 30 years-to-life. Following his conviction, he and his authorized group filed for an attraction case.
