Attorneys working for That ’70s Show star Danny Masterson tracked down jurors who found him guilty of rape in a move that ‘troubled’ the judge in the case who had issued an order to limit available information about them.
Masterson, 48, is currently appealing his May 2023 conviction, in which he was found to have raped two women in the Church of Scientology in the early 2000s.
He was sentenced in September by a Los Angeles jury to 30 years to life behind bars with the possibility of parole for two counts of rape with force, violence or fear of bodily injury.
But according to the LA Times, Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Charlaine Olmedo said she was ‘troubled’ by the conduct of the attorneys who contacted jurors to interview them as part of his appeal effort, despite a judge’s order meant to limit the amount of publicly available information about them.
Olmedo said she received complaints from jurors who ‘felt pressured by the defense team’, adding that they were ‘not advised that they had the absolute right not to discuss the case if they did not want to.’
She wrote that several jurors had been the subject of ‘unwanted contact at their homes or work by members of the defense team’ and they wanted her to ‘inquire how the defense team obtained their identifying information.’
The judge said she was ‘troubled that they were approached at their homes.’
The newspaper reported that court filings show jurors emailed Olmedo over concerns that Masterson’s lawyers weren’t supposed to know where they lived or worked.
Danny Masterson (pictured, right, with wife Bijou Phillips in 2023) is currently appealing his May 2023 conviction, in which he was found to have raped two women in the Church of Scientology
He played Stephen Hyde in That ’70s show between 1998 and 2006
Masterson was moved to the California Men’s Colony in San Luis Obispo (pictured)
One of Masterson’s lawyers, Shawn Holley, told the LA Times that she spoke with three jurors, including the foreperson, since the trial’s conclusion.
‘I made it clear to all 3 jurors with whom I spoke—and ultimately met— that they were under no obligation to speak with me or to meet with me, and they all were more than willing to do so. I met all 3 of them [separately] at times and places which were convenient for them and I was cordial and respectful of their time and boundaries.
‘I feel confident that none of the 3 jurors with whom I spoke/met reported our interaction to Judge Olmedo as harassing or improper.’
Eric Multhaup, another of Masterson’s attorneys, said one of his investigators located a juror through routine research, and contacted them before Olmedo’s order took effect on September 17.
It comes after Masterson was moved from maximum security prison Corcoran State Prison to the less harsh California Men’s Colony in San Luis Obispo, according to reports.
He was previously set to serve his term at Corcoran State Prison, which famously housed Charles Manson.
That prison, which was built in 1988, houses some of California’s most dangerous prisoners and has a sizable population of Level 4 inmates in need of extra protection and supervision.
California Men’s colony, however, is a medium- to minimum-security prison offer self-help and academic programs for inmates to learn vocational skills.
The courses include substance abuse counseling, mental health treatment and anger management.
That 70’s Show star Danny Masterson has been moved from his maximum security prison to a less harsh facility in Obispo, California
Corcoran State Prison houses some of California’s most dangerous prisoners
In addition to cult leader Charles Manson (pictured), Corcoran was also the prison where Sirhan Sirhan, who assassinated RFK was held
Masterson has been moved to a maximum-security facility that was the longtime holding place of Charles Manson
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Convicted rapist Danny Masterson moved prison to less harsh facility
Records indicate that the once-prominent member of the Church of Scientology will first be eligible for parole in 2042, when the now-42-year-old is 66.
Following Masterson’s sentencing, it was reported that he was under round-the-clock surveillance due to potentially showing signs of ‘mental distress.’
Deputies would come by his cell every half hour to check on him ‘with the goal of keeping tabs on his mental state and making sure he’s safe.’
Masterson’s legal team is currently attempting to appeal his conviction.
Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Charlaine Olmedo said in January that Masterson will ‘likely remain in custody for decades, and perhaps the rest of his life’ if his sentence is upheld on appeal.
The judge, who oversaw his trial and subsequently denied him bail, stating that he is a flight risk in part because his now-ex-wife Bijou Phillips filed for divorce following his guilty verdict last year.
The judge’s order read: ‘In light of the fact that defendant has no wife to go home to, defendant now has every incentive to flee and little reason to return to state prison to serve out the remainder of his lengthy sentence should his appeal be unsuccessful.’
The denial comes after Masterson’s attorneys Clifford Gardner and Eric Multhaup wrote in a motion on January 17 asking for the court to grant the disgraced actor bail.
‘Defendant requests that this Court grant bail on appeal, and offers to comply with any relevant terms and conditions imposed by the Court that enable him to be an at-home parent and financial provider for his family, including house arrest and/or participation in an electronic monitoring program administered by the probation department’ the motion read.
After Masterson’ conviction for the two rapes, he was expelled from the Church of Scientology and declared a ‘suppressive person’ – or an ‘SP’ – which the church defines as someone whose behavior seeks to impede the spiritual progress of those around him.