Actor and former child model, Danny Masterson, best known for his role on ‘That 70’s Show’ was charged with three counts of forcible rape in California on Wednesday.
The three women involved, who have since filed suit against the actor, all allege that Masterson raped them in his Hollywood Hills home on separate occasions between 2001 and 2003. Two of the women were 23-years-old while another is aged 28.
Legal council for the victims have released a statement on their behalf.
"Since we were victimized and raped by Danny Masterson—and knowing we are not the only victims—all we have wanted was justice, accountability, and truth. Instead, we were subjected to continued harassment, embarrassment, and re-victimization by Masterson and the Church of Scientology, which has only worsened since they learned we were cooperating with authorities..."We are thankful that the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s office is finally seeking criminal justice against Masterson after a three-year investigation. We are confident that the truth will be known and hope that the charges filed today are the first steps in this long journey of healing, justice, and holding those that victimized us accountable."
Still unknown to many, the LAPD and the Los Angeles County DA opened an investigation into Masterson in 2017, and the actor was was dropped from the hit Netflix series 'The Ranch' and by his agency, UTA, as a result. However, no arrests were made at that time and the actor told outlets that he was looking forward to clearing his name.
Masterson claims these allegations of rape are sour grapes as a result of previous relationship with ex-girlfriend Chrissie Carnell Bixler whom he split with in 2001. She stated to the Daily Beast that she blacked out after drinking one glass of wine during one of their date nights.
“Last thing I remember is getting up from the restaurant to go home. Complete blackout,” Bixler says. “The next day when I woke up the back of my head hurt, and I thought I’d fallen. I thought I was poisoned. I didn’t know where I was. He was downstairs sitting at his desk.” When Bixler asked him about the previous evening he admitted that he, in fact, did rape her.
“I went downstairs and asked what happened,” she claimed. “He just kind of chuckled. I said, ‘I’m in a lot of pain.’ I was ripped. I was injured. He started laughing. He said, ‘Oh, I had sex with you last night.’ I said, ‘Was I unconscious?’ He said, ‘Yeah.’ ” states Bixler.
“This is beyond ridiculous,” Masterson said in a statement to People through his attorney in 2019. “I’m not going to fight my ex-girlfriend in the media like she’s been baiting me to do for more than two years. I will beat her in court — and look forward to it because the public will finally be able learn the truth and see how I’ve been railroaded by this woman. And once her lawsuit is thrown out, I intend to sue her and the others who jumped on the bandwagon for the damage they caused me and my family.”
The actor is also a Scientologist, which is also being named in a lawsuit against him by the four women involved, who claimed they have been stalked and spied on since the commencement of the outstanding litigation.
People magazine goes on to quote the Church's statement to them per their legal council in 2019, “From everything we have read in the press, this baseless lawsuit will go nowhere because the claims are ludicrous and a sham. It’s a dishonest and hallucinatory publicity stunt. Leah Remini is taking advantage of these people as pawns in her moneymaking scam.”
Remini was a member of the church for rougly 35 years when she left the Church of Scientology back in 2013 and has embarked on a struggle to expose the church in recent years. On Wednesday upon the breaking news of the charges against Masterson, tweeted her reaction.
Finally, victims are being heard when it comes to Scientology! Praise the lord! This is just the beginning Scientology, your days of getting away with it is coming to an end! #justice #scientologytheaftermath https://t.co/oAFlIoWFYd
— Leah Remini (@LeahRemini) June 17, 2020
Twitter responded, many mentioning other celebs who are Scientologists.
Yes...justice finally. You helped bring this about Leah. 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽
— Sal 🌊🌊🌊🌊 (@Sal_2020_) June 17, 2020
I guess this means @kirstiealley @JennaElfman @LauraPrepon @JulietteLewis @greta and every other Scientologist better get off Twitter and every other social media outlet so they can "turn a blind eye" to what's going on in their religion.🤦🏻♀️🤷🏻♀️
— Peggy Newman (@peggyspov) June 17, 2020
Leah is one tough girl, she went against everything and everyone she knew to do what was right. Yes she is famous, but I bet what she did for the victims of Scientology is even more rewarding
— Dana Facciano (@facciano) June 18, 2020
No word from Tom Cruise or Kirsty Alley. Liked them till I learned of their beliefs. Disgusting. Thank you for exposing Scientology for what it is.
— Happy Canadian (@macarthur54) June 17, 2020
But they have Tom Cruise, I don't think even 2020 can stop him lol.
— Tim Halewood (@ruff_ryder_20) June 19, 2020
Danny Masterson's Twitter account, as of this writing, shows no new posts since June 11th.
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