Danny Masterson Opts Not to Testify in Rape Trial

Gene Maddaus
Updated ·2 min read
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Danny Masterson told a judge on Monday that he would not testify in his own defense as his rape trial nears its conclusion.

Masterson, a former star of “That ’70s Show,” is accused of forcibly raping three women between 2001 and 2003.

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Judge Charlaine Olmedo asked Masterson if he had a chance to discuss his decision with his attorneys. He responded that he had, and she asked what his decision was.

“To not testify,” Masterson said.

The prosecution officially rested its case on Monday morning, and defense attorney Philip Cohen also rested after indicating that he would not call any witnesses. Closing arguments are set for Tuesday.

Cohen made a motion to dismiss the case, which was denied.

The three women took the stand earlier in the case, giving often emotional testimony about the alleged assaults. A fourth woman also gave supporting testimony, telling jurors that that Masterson raped her in 1996.

The three accusers were all members of the Church of Scientology at the time of the alleged assaults. Masterson remains a member of the church. Two of the three accusers have said that the church discouraged them from coming forward, and all three have said they have faced intimidation and harassment since going to the police in late 2016.

One of the women waited about 14 months before going to the police, while the other two waited more than 13 years.

Cohen has sought to expose discrepancies in the accounts the women provided over the course of the investigation. Cohen has also tried to minimize discussion of the church and its practices, and he argued before the trial that the church should not even be mentioned.

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