Danny Masterson Files Appeal for 2023 Rape Conviction
Danny Masterson filed an appeal to overturn his 2023 rape conviction.
The 48-year-old That ’70s Show actor was found guilty of two counts of forcible rape. He was sentenced to 30 years in prison in September 2023.
On Wednesday (December 18), Danny‘s legal team filed court documents to overturn the ruling.
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According to reporting by USA Today, the actor’s lawyer Cliff Gardner filed an appellant opening brief asking for the ruling to be reexamined because of “fundamental flaws” in the case.
“The Appellant’s Opening Brief submitted on December 18, 2024, demonstrates two fundamental flaws in Danny Masterson‘s convictions: (1) the trial was rife with erroneous judicial rulings that skewed the jury’s view of the evidence against him and (2) there was a stunning amount of exculpatory evidence which was never presented to the jury,” he said.
He continued, saying, “But the appeal represents only one part of Danny‘s challenge to his convictions. Danny’s habeas lawyer will be following up on the opening brief with a Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus documenting additional defects in the trial process. Stay tuned as we work toward Danny’s complete exoneration.”
Danny‘s wife Bijou Phillips filed to divorce him after his sentencing. The divorce was part of the reason that the actor was denied bail in January 2024.