Danny Masterson: That ‘70s Show actor must stand trial on three counts of rape

Danny Masterson, the actor best known for his role in That ’70s Show, must stand trial on three counts of rape, a judge said on Friday.
The determination by Charlaine F Olmedo, of the Los Angeles superior county court, came on the fourth day of a preliminary hearing where the prosecution laid out its evidence.
That included dramatic and emotional testimony from three women who took the stand to say that Masterson raped them in 2001 and 2003.
Olmedo said she found the women’s testimony credible for the purposes of a preliminary hearing, where the bar for sufficient evidence is much lower than at trial.
Masterson has denied the charges. His attorney, Thomas Mesereau, said Masterson had consensual sex with the women and that he would prove his client’s innocence. Mesereau declined to comment on the judge’s decision outside court.

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Masterson is a prominent Scientologist, all three women are former Scientologists and the church and its teachings came up constantly during testimony. The judge said she found the women’s explanations credible that church teachings kept them from reporting their accusations to police for years.

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The 45-year-old actor has been free on bail since his June arrest. He is charged with three counts of rape by force or fear and could get up to 45 years in prison if convicted. Damn it Hyde