Actor Danny Masterson, known for playing Hyde on the series “That ’70s Show” between 1998 and 2006, appeared in Los Angeles Superior Court on Friday to be arraigned on rape charges.
Los Angeles County District Attorney Jackie Lace said the actor was charged with raping three women by force or fear in separate incidents that occurred at his home between 2001 and 2003. Masterson, who also starred on the Netflix show “The Ranch”, was arrested in mid-June and released after posting a $3.3 million bail.
“Masterson allegedly raped a 28-year-old woman in April 2003 and sometime between October and December of that year he is accused of raping a 23-year-old woman whom he had invited to his Hollywood Hills home,” the indictment stated. In addition, the lawsuit also includes the case of a 23-year-old woman who reported having been raped in 2001.
At the same time, the office did not press charges of sexual assault in two other cases, one for insufficient evidence and another due to limitations.
The accusations against him date back to March 2017, after four women filed accusations against him. They later also accused the Church of Scientology of harassment, as the organization defended the actor. Through his agent, Masterson denied the allegations.
Actress Leah Remini appeared at the arraignment to give support to the alleged victims. Remini, a former member of the Church before denouncing the religion, has become one of its most outspoken critics and has even exposed the inner workings of the religion on a reality TV show, Scientology and the Aftermath. At the time of Masterson’s arrest, she called it ‘just the beginning’ of the demise of the religion.
Masterson’s lawyer, Tom Mesereau, presented documents calling for the criminal charges against the actor be thrown out as poor and inadequate. but this petition will be decided by the judge when Masterson next appears in court on Oct. 19. Meanwhile, the alleged victims were awarded a protective order and Masterson was ordered to surrender his firearms.
If Masterson is convicted, he could face up to 45 years to life in state prison.
