Danny Masterson: That 70s Show star ‘raped women and hid behind Church of Scientology’, court told
American actor Danny Masterson drugged women’s drinks so he could rape them before relying on his prominence in the Church of Scientology to avoid the consequences, a jury has been told in closing arguments at his trial.
Masterson, a former star of the hit US sitcom That 70s Show, is on trial for rape for a second time after the first ended in a mistrial in December, with a jury deadlocked on all counts.
Prosecution lawyer Ariel Anson told the jury: “The defendant drugs his victims to gain control. He does this to take away his victims’ ability to consent.
“You don’t want to have sex? You don’t have a choice. The defendant makes that choice for these victims. And he does it over and over and over again.”
The 47-year-old has pleaded not guilty to raping three women at his home between 2001 and 2003.
His lawyer Philip Cohen told jurors that inconsistencies in the women’s stories are important to consider.
“[Ms Anson] did a very nice job of ignoring many of them,” Mr Cohen said. “What she views as little inconsistencies are at the heart of trying to determine is somebody, reliable, credible, believable enough for a criminal conviction?”
Ms Anson took aim at the controversial Church of Scientology, of which Masterson is a member and all three women are former members, throughout her argument.
She emphasised that church authorities kept the women from accepting what had happened to them and from reporting it to police for years.
“The church taught his victims ‘rape isn’t rape, you caused this, and above all, you are never allowed to go to law enforcement’,” she said.
“In Scientology, the defendant is a celebrity and he is untouchable.”
The church has denied having any policy discouraging members from going to law enforcement.
Leah Remini, an actress and former member of the church who has become one of its most prominent public opponents, sat in the courtroom, her arm around one of the accusers, who gave evidence during both trials that Masterson raped her in 2003.
Ms Anson guided jurors through the evidence of all three women.
One is a former girlfriend who said Masterson raped her five years into their relationship in 2001. The two others are women he knew through social circles surrounding the church.
All told the court they became unusually groggy and had gaps in consciousness and memory after consuming drinks Masterson gave them.
Judge Charlaine Olmedo allowed the prosecution during the second trial to directly say he drugged the women, after only allowing descriptions of their states at the first.
There is no physical evidence of any drugging. The investigation that led to Masterson’s arrest did not begin for about 15 years after the women say they were raped.
Ms Anson told jurors the women’s accounts and the evidence of a police toxicology expert who described symptoms should be enough.
“We ask that you hold the defendant accountable,” she said, “that you find him guilty”.
Fewer than half of jurors voted to convict Masterson on any count after the first trial.
Lawyers for both sides rested their cases on Friday, three weeks into the second trial. Masterson’s lawyers declined to call any witnesses.
His attorney emphasised on Tuesday that jurors must find him guilty if it’s beyond a reasonable doubt, saying that even if they believe it is likely he is guilty, they must acquit.
“If you say, ‘I think he is probably guilty’, you know what that leads to?” Mr Cohen said. “Not guilty.”
Gary Glitter will stay in prison after the Parole Board refused the disgraced singer’s bid to be released.
Glitter, 81, was recalled to jail less than six weeks after he was released halfway through his 16-year sentence in 2023 for breaching his licence conditions by allegedly viewing downloaded images of children.
He was sentenced to 16 years imprisonment in 2015 after being found guilty of sexually assaulting three schoolgirls between 1975 and 1980.
The Parole Board last year said it was “not satisfied that release at this point would be safe for the protection of the public” after a hearing held behind closed doors.
Glitter was jailed in 2015 Pic: PA
A spokesman on Tuesday said his release was refused again following a “paper review”.
“Parole Board decisions are solely focused on what risk a prisoner could represent to the public if released and whether that risk is manageable in the community,” a statement said.
“A panel will carefully examine a huge range of evidence, including details of the original crime, and any evidence of behaviour change, as well as explore the harm done and impact the crime has had on the victims.
“Parole reviews are undertaken thoroughly and with extreme care. Protecting the public is our number one priority.”
Glitter, whose real name is Paul Gadd, will be eligible for a further review at a date set by the Ministry of Justice. His sentence expires in February 2031.
He was made bankrupt earlier this year after failing to pay more than £500,000 in damages to a woman who sued him for abusing her when she was 12 years old.
Richard Scorer, head of abuse law and public inquiries at Slater and Gordon, who represented the woman, told Sky News the Parole Board has made “the right decision”.
He added: “My client is relieved at this ruling but apprehensive about having to go through the merry-go-round of Gadd coming up for parole again, and the fear of him being let out on licence.
“This is unfair on victims and it would be better if they were assured that he would serve the rest of his sentence.”
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Glitter was first jailed for four months in 1999 after he admitted possessing around 4,000 indecent images of children.
He was expelled from Cambodia in 2002, and in March 2006 was convicted of sexually abusing two girls, aged 10 and 11, in Vietnam, where he spent two-and-a-half years in prison.
Glitter was automatically released from HMP The Verne, a low-security prison in Portland, Dorset, in February 2023 after serving half of his fixed-term determinate sentence.
But he was back behind bars weeks later after reportedly trying to access the dark web and images of children.
Kim Woodburn – a former cleaner who found fame presenting the hit TV show How Clean Is Your House? – has died.
Woodburn, who was 83, later became a contestant on Celebrity Big Brother in 2017, finishing as runner-up.
Woodburn came third in Celebrity Big Brother 2017. Pic: PA
Her manager said in a statement: “It is with immense sadness that we let you know our beloved Kim Woodburn passed away yesterday following a short illness.
“Kim was an incredibly kind, caring, charismatic and strong person.
“Her husband, Peter, is heartbroken at the loss of his soulmate.
“We are so proud of the amazing things Kim achieved in her life and career.
“We kindly ask that Kim’s husband and close friends are given the time and privacy they need to grieve.
“We will not be releasing any further details.”
Woodburn with Aggie MacKenzie (L). Pic: PA
On Tuesday, her husband shared a video montage of photos of Woodburn over the years, starting when she was just four years old, with the message: “My wonderful, beautiful, Kim passed away last night. God bless, my love, xx xx”
Known for her trademark tight, plaited bun, Kim was largely blind in her right eye, and had poor sight in her left eye, and earlier this year had told her followers she was undergoing emergency eye surgery.
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Woodburn, who had been selling video greetings to fans, shared her last Instagram post in February, when she posted a message saying “Kim is unable to record any further videos for the foreseeable future due to a health problem”.
She wrote: “No more videos for now, my loves, I need to get better!”
Woodburn, born Patricia Mary in Hampshire, left a turbulent home life aged 16, moving to Liverpool to become a live-in cleaner.
She revealed in her 2006 autobiography that, at the age of 23, she prematurely gave birth to a stillborn son and buried him in a park.
The revelation in her book led to a police inquiry, but no action was taken by officers.
In the same year as the stillbirth, she changed her name to Kim – after American actress Kim Novak.
Years later, she was scouted by a TV company looking for a cleaner with an engaging personality to front How Clean is Your House?
Paired with Scottish cleaner Aggie MacKenzie, the two professional cleaners fronted the show – a ratings hit and a pioneer for the home cleaning genre – from 2003 to 2009.
Woodburn went on to appear in Celebrity Big Brother, I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of here! and E4’s Celebrity Cooking School, as well as regularly contributing to ITV’s This Morning and Loose Women.
She also appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show, Big Brother’s Bit On The Side, Celebrity Come Dine With Me and A Place In The Sun.
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