Danny Masterson's guilty verdict: Church of Scientology adamant rape retrial violated First Amendment
foxnews.comThe inclusion of the Church of Scientology in the rape retrial of Danny Masterson was slammed by the organization after the actor was found guilty Wednesday.
Masterson, 47, was found guilty on two counts of forcible rape.The jury was hung on a third charge. A jury of seven men and five women deliberated for eight days before reaching the verdicts.
The "That 70s Show" star was accused of drugging the victims' drinks in order to rape them.Throughout the trial, each victim claimed Masterson used his prominence in the church – where all three women were also members at the time – to avoid consequences for decades.
The accusers alleged they were hesitant to file charges due to the church's strict protocols against public involvement with member issues. "The church taught his victims, ‘Rape isn’t rape, you caused this, and above all, you are never allowed to go to law enforcement,’" Deputy District Attorney Ariel Anson told the jury during the trial. "In Scientology, the defendant is a celebrity, and he is untouchable." However, the Church of Scientology criticized the involvement of the organization in the trial by the prosecution saying the testimonies given by the victims regarding the church's "beliefs" and "practices" were false. "The prosecution's introduction of religion into this trial was an unprecedented violation of the First Amendment and affects the due process rights of every American," the Church of Scientology told Fox News Digital in a statement.
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