Friday 18 November 2022 11:29 PM Danny Masterson in limbo for at least 10 days as judge sends 'hopelessly ... trends now
Jurors in Danny Masterson’s trial were still ‘hopelessly deadlocked’ late Friday on all three rape charges against him.
And despite objections from the actor’s defense team, Judge Charlaine Olmedo ordered the seven-woman, five-man jury back to court Monday, November 28, to continue deliberating.
The judge told the court Friday that despite deliberating since 9am Wednesday morning, the jury had informed her that they have been ‘unable to reach a unanimous decision on any of the counts.’
Judge Olmedo, responded by sending the jury a written note telling them that they have been deliberating for ‘insufficient time’ and ordering them back on November 28, the first date all the jurors will be available because of next week’s Thanksgiving holiday.
Masterson’s attorney, Philip Cohen, objected to the judge’s instruction, saying that the jury’s deadlock ‘comes down to do you believe the women or do you not?
Masterson, who has worn a suit and tie for the entire trial, turned up with wife Bijou Phillips but tieless on Thursday, the day he many thought he would learn his fate
Masterson's sister-in-law Chynna Phillips and her husband Billy Baldwin were at the court on several days of the five-week trial in support of the That '70s Show star
Several Scientologists and others turned up to support Masterson, a prominent member of the church, during the trial
Danny Masterson played wise-cracking Steven Hyde on That '70s Show from 1998 to 2006. Pictured l-r Laura Prepon, Ashton Kutcher, Topher Grace, Masterson, Mila Kunis, Wilmer Valderrama
‘It does seem like there’s not a whole lot of confusion. It seems like there is a whole lot of disagreement,’ he said.
Cohen expressed concern about sending the jury members away for 10 days during which they’ll be at Thanksgiving celebrations with friends and family ‘who have not been admonished’ (as the jurors have) to avoid reading or watching news reports about the highly-publicized trial.
And he asked Judge Olmedo to ‘bring the jury out and ask them…if there is anything else they could hear.’
Deputy District Attorney Reinhold Mueller told the judge that he agreed with her decision to order the jury to keep deliberating.
‘I think they need to spend more time,’ he told the court.
Judge Olmedo – calling the jury ‘hopelessly deadlocked’ – overruled Cohen’s objection and declared that ‘there has been insufficient time for the jury’ to reach a verdict. Jurors need a unanimous decision to find Masterson guilty.
As for Cohen’s comments about jurors being tempted to talk about the case with loved ones or be subject to publicity about the trial, the judge said, ‘This case has been going on for over a month….The court has admonished the jury to avoid any discussion of the case or reading, TV or radio.’
Cohen asked for jurors to be brought back this Monday, November 21. But Judge Olmedo said that wasn’t possible since five jurors have family commitments over the Thanksgiving week.
Masterson, 46 – who starred in the TV sitcom That ‘70s Show – has been free on $3.3 million bail since his arrest in June 2020. He is charge with raping three women at his Hollywood Hills home between 2001 and 2003. He denies all the charges.
His wife, actress Bijou Phillips, 42, has been with him in the courtroom throughout the five-week trial.
Masterson’s accusers – whom DailyMail.com is identifying only as Jane Does 1 through 3 – are all former Scientologists and are also suing him and the Church of Scientology in civil court, claiming that they’ve been harassed and intimidated since reporting him to police.
The Church of Scientology became the elephant in the room during the trial with defense attorney Philip Cohen claiming it was mentioned 700 times
Jane Doe #1 burst into tears as she recounted the night in September 2002 when she woke to find Masterson allegedly penetrating her anally
Jane Doe #2, testified that Masterson invited her to his house sometime in late 2003. She said that he gave her a glass of wine to drink and then ordered her, 'like a drill sergeant,' to remove her clothes and get in his jacuzzi
Jane Doe #3 told jurors that Masterson violently raped her after ignoring her repeated pleas and left her feeling like a 'rag doll'
His accusers – whom DailyMail.com is identifying only as Jane Does 1 through 3 – are all ex-Scientologists and are also suing him and the Church of Scientology in civil court, claiming that they’ve been harassed and intimidated since reporting him to police.
Masterson did not take the stand and called no witnesses. Cohen attempted to get the charges tossed before they went to the jury but was unsuccessful.
In his summary, Cohen essentially accused the women
