The rape trial against ‘That 70’s Show’ actor Danny Masterson has been declared a mistrial.

Los Angeles court set to try Danny Masterson, best known for playing Hyde on series “That show from the 70’s” between 1998 and 2006, declared the judicial process null and void this Wednesday after failing to reach a verdict on the three counts of rape that the actor has to face In this way the a new trial on June 27th.

“We are not even close to reaching a unanimous decision on any charges and we are convinced that this will not change,” reads the statement released by the jury members to Charlaine Olmedo, the lead judge in the case.

The jury division it was maintained during the three ballots. In the first, there were two votes that found him guilty and ten innocent. In the second, the issue was somewhat evenly matched: 4 to 8. In the third and final, five members pleaded guilty and seven defended their innocence.

Masterson’s defense attorney Philip Cohen said the actor was “very relieved” and expected “the jury’s position” to be reviewed by the prosecutor’s office: “Listen to 10, 8 and 7 votes of his innocence is something very relevant to this case.”

For their part, two of the women who denounced him have released a statement through their lawyers to express their views “disappointment” with the resultbut added that they will continue to “fight this legal battle”.

Rape allegations against Danny Masterson

The former star of the comedy series ‘That ’70s Show’ is accused of raping three women between the ages of 24 and 29 when they coincided as members of the Church of Scientology from 2001 to 2003. If convicted of all three counts, he could serve up to 45 years in prison in a California state prison.

The Los Angeles Superior Court decided to start the trial against Masterson in 2021 after finding “sufficient evidence”, after hearing testimony from the three victims.

Their account was based on the fact that their belief in Scientology had for years dissuaded them from dismissing the attacks as “rape,” and two of them even said they were threatened with excommunication if they reported the case.

The actor’s version claims that relations with the three women were consensual and described the process as revenge against the cult he practices, since the alleged victims later left the Church of Scientology.

“Masterson allegedly raped a 28-year-old woman in April 2003 and is accused between October and December of that year of raping a 23-year-old woman whom he had invited to his Hollywood Hills home,” the indictment said.

Additionally, the lawsuit also includes the case of a 23-year-old woman who reported being raped in 2001.

With information from EFE.

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