Current:Home > reviewsLeah Remini Speaks Out After "Dangerous" Danny Masterson Is Sentenced to 30 Years in Prison -InvestTomorrow
Leah Remini Speaks Out After "Dangerous" Danny Masterson Is Sentenced to 30 Years in Prison
View
Date:2025-04-22 14:54:02
Leah Remini penned a strong message following Danny Masterson's sentencing for rape.
After the That ‘70s Show alum, who was found guilty of two counts of rape in May, was sentenced to 30 years to life in prison, the King of Queens star excoriated both Masterson and the Church of Scientology—of which he is a longtime member—while expressing her support for his victims.
"I am relieved that this dangerous rapist will be off the streets and unable to violently assault and rape women with the help of Scientology, a multi-billion-dollar criminal organization with tax-exempt status," Remini wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter, Sept. 7. "Hearing the survivors read their victim impact statements aloud in court while the man who raped them and some of the very Scientologists who terrorized them over two decades were just a few feet away displayed a level of bravery that I am in awe of."
Furthermore, Remini, who was raised in the Church of Scientology and has becoming a vocal critic since leaving the organization, thanked the women for speaking up.
"The women who survived Danny's predation fought tirelessly for justice," she added. "Their tenacity, strength, and courage have given hope to all victims of Scientology that justice is possible. For that, we will forever be grateful. To the LAPD detectives, the LA District Attorney's office, Judge Olmedo, and the jury, we thank you for your fair and impartial approach to this case and trial."
Prosecutors had alleged that Masterson, who was arrested and charged on three counts of forcible rape in 2020, sexually assaulted three women in separate incidents between 2001 and 2003 at his Hollywood Hills home. Masterson's first trial in 2022 was declared a mistrial after a jury was unable to reach unanimous decisions for the three rape charges.
However, during Masterson's retrial, which took place earlier this year, the jury found him guilty on two counts. The jury was unable to did not reach a verdict on the third court.
The three women—identified as Jane Doe #1, Jane Doe #2 and Jane Doe #3—told the court they met Masterson through the Church of Scientology, later accusing the organization of pressuring them into not reporting the allegations to police, according to the Associated Press. The church denied their accusations in a May 31 statement obtained by E! News June 1, noting that the organization "has no policy prohibiting or discouraging members from reporting criminal conduct of anyone—Scientologists or not—to law enforcement."
Following The Ranch actor's sentencing, his lawyer Shawn Holley maintained that her client was innocent after the sentencing, noting in a statement to multiple outlets that a team of "top appellate lawyers in the country has been reviewing the transcripts of the trial" and "have identified a number of significant evidentiary and constitutional issues which they will address in briefs to both state and federal appellate courts."
The attorney—who had sought 15 years to life in prison, according to the Los Angeles Times—further indicated plans to appeal the sentencing.
Masterson, Holley added, "did not commit the crimes for which he has been convicted and we—and the appellate lawyers—the best and the brightest in the country—are confident that these convictions will be overturned."
E! News reached out to Masterson's attorneys for comment and has not heard back.
For its part, following Masterson's sentencing, the Church of Scientology released a statement, obtained by NBC News, calling the trial "an unprecedented violation of the First Amendment."
The organization added, "The Church was not a party to this case and religion did not belong in this proceeding as Supreme Court precedent has maintained for centuries."
(E! and NBC News are both part of the NBCUniversal family.)
For free, confidential help, call the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-4673 or visit rainn.org.veryGood! (91479)
Related
- 'As foretold in the prophecy': Elon Musk and internet react as Tesla stock hits $420 all
- Torrential snow storm leaves Northern California covered in powder: See the top photos
- Wicked Tuna's Charlie Griffin and Dog Leila Dead After Boating Accident
- Jason Kelce Reveals the Biggest Influence Behind His Retirement Decision
- Most popular books of the week: See what topped USA TODAY's bestselling books list
- Love Is Blind Season 6 Finale: Find Out Who Got Married and Who Broke Up
- Sister Wives Stars Janelle and Kody Brown's Son Garrison Dead at 25
- Man wanted in New York killing pleads not guilty to charges stemming from 2 stabbings in Arizona
- Working Well: When holidays present rude customers, taking breaks and the high road preserve peace
- These Stylish Pieces Are Perfect for Transitioning Your Closet From Winter to Spring & They're on Sale
Ranking
- IRS recovers $4.7 billion in back taxes and braces for cuts with Trump and GOP in power
- Ammo supplier at Rust shooting trial says he provided dummy rounds to movie, but handled live rounds for TV show
- Brian Austin Green Defends Love Is Blind’s Chelsea From Criticism Over Megan Fox Comparison
- J-pop star Shinjiro Atae talks self-care routine, meditation, what he 'can't live without'
- The White House is cracking down on overdraft fees
- EAGLEEYE COIN: A New Chapter for Cryptocurrencies
- France enshrines women's constitutional right to an abortion in a global first
- Miami Beach keeps it real about spring breakers in new video ad: 'It's not us, it's you'
Recommendation
Small twin
Michelle Williams from Destiny's Child jokes 'no one recognizes me' in new Uber One ad
Did Blake Snell and Co. overplay hand in free agency – or is drought MLB's new normal?
You’ll Adore Anne Hathaway and Nicholas Galitzine’s Steamy PDA in The Idea of You Trailer
The GOP and Kansas’ Democratic governor ousted targeted lawmakers in the state’s primary
Kristen Stewart Wears Her Riskiest Look Yet With NSFW Bodysuit
94-year-old man dies in grain bin incident while unloading soybeans in Iowa
Getting food delivered in New York is simple. For the workers who do it, getting paid is not
Like
- Vance jokes he’s checking out his future VP plane while overlapping with Harris at Wisconsin airport
- After years of protest by Native Americans, massive dam removal project hopes to restore salmon population in Northern California river
- Hits, Flops and Other Illusions: Director Ed Zwick on a life in Hollywood