The rape trial of Danny Masterson, star of That '70s Show, began earlier this week. Aside from the charges the actor faces, legal experts are highlighting two other factors in his case: Scientology and the #MeToo movement.
Masterson is on trial over claims that he allegedly raped three women back in the early 2000s. He was first accused of sexual assault in 2017, the same year that the reckoning against sexual abuse in the entertainment industry gained momentum via the viral hashtag #MeToo.
The AV Club notes that the accusations against Masterson have damaged his career; he was booted from the Netflix show The Ranch in late 2017.
The actor is a member of Scientology, as were his alleged victims, who have claimed that they were pressured by the church to keep quiet. The accusations received airtime on the series finale of actress Leah Remini's Scientology and the Aftermath.
Masterson is accused of allegedly raping three women, each in their 20s, at his home in Hollywood. If he's found guilty, he could spend 45 years to life in prison.
After being charged in 2020, Masterson pleaded not guilty the following January. Each of his accusers presented their claims in court this past May.
His former girlfriend, Chrissie Bixler, has claimed that he admitted to raping her while she was unconscious. She further alleged that when she tried to report it to Scientology officials, they said it couldn't be considered nonconsensual because the two were in a relationship.
Criminal defense attorney Joshua Ritter told Newsweek that Masterson's defense may have a tough time, given that he faces rape accusations from multiple victims. When the jury is hearing similar claims from several people, it "becomes an almost insurmountable obstacle at times for the defense."
Ritter, a former prosecutor, also classified Scientology's alleged involvement as a "wild card" in the Masterson trial. The accusers have claimed they faced retribution from the church after they told authorities about the alleged rapes.
Vulture reports that the defense has attempted to prevent Scientology from being brought up in the courtroom.
Two other high-profile #MeToo-related trials are also underway: those of disgraced film mogul Harvey Weinstein and Oscar-winning actor Kevin Spacey. But Masterson's trial is unique because of Scientology's involvement.
"[Scientology is] certainly something that would add this additional element that we might not see in a straightforward case," Ritter said. Later, he added, "It seems to be kind of the culmination, at least from a criminal justice perspective, of the #MeToo movement."
Trial consultant Jill Huntley Taylor told Newsweek that the trials of Weinstein and Masterson are taking place in the same courthouse. It seems to her that #MeToo allegations are "alive and well," but what makes Masterson's case more unique is the Scientology angle.
Even though Masterson was on a hit sitcom, he's not exactly a household name, she said. Still, his alignment with Scientology is worth noting.
"There's a lot of power behind an organization like that, and I think notoriously a lot of power," she said. "And so while he may not individually have the kind of power of a Weinstein or a [Bill] Cosby, he has Scientology as kind of the 'power force' on his side."
Newsweek has reached out to a Masterson representative for comment.
Specialists from the Rape, Abuse, and Incest National Network (RAINN) sexual assault hotline are available 24/7 via phone (1 (800) 656-4673) and online chat. Additional support from the group is also accessible via the mobile app.
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