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THAT ’70S SHOW star Danny Masterson has been found guilty of two counts of rape in a Los Angeles retrial in which the Church of Scientology played a central role.
A jury of seven women and five men reached the verdict after deliberating for seven days spread over two weeks.
They could not reach a verdict on the third count, that alleged Masterson raped a longtime girlfriend. They had voted 8-4 in favour of conviction.
Masterson was led from the courtroom in handcuffs. The 47-year-old actor faces up to 30 years in prison.
His wife, actress and model Bijou Phillips, wept as he was led away. Other family and friends sat stone-faced.
Prosecutors, retrying Masterson after a deadlocked jury led to a mistrial in December, said he raped three women, including a longtime girlfriend, in his Hollywood Hills home between 2001 and 2003.
They told jurors he drugged the women’s drinks so he could rape them. They said he used his prominence in the church — where all three women were also members at the time — to avoid consequences for decades.
Masterson did not testify, and his lawyers called no witnesses. The defence argued that the acts were consensual, and attempted to discredit the women’s stories by highlighting changes and inconsistencies over time, which they said showed signs of coordination between them.
“If you decide that a witness deliberately lied about something in this case,” defence lawyer Philip Cohen told jurors in his closing argument, “you should consider not believing anything that witness says.”
The Church of Scientology played a significant role in both trials. Judge Charlaine F Olmedo allowed expert testimony on church policy from a former official in Scientology leadership who has become a prominent opponent.
Tensions ran high in the courtroom between current and former Scientologists, with the accusers saying on the stand that they felt intimidated by some members in the room.
Actor Leah Remini, a former member who has become the church’s highest-profile critic, sat in on the trial at times, putting her arm around one of the accusers to comfort her during closing arguments.
Founded in 1953 by L Ron Hubbard, the Church of Scientology has many members who work in Hollywood. The judge kept limits on how much prosecutors could talk about the church, and primarily allowed it to explain why the women took so long to go to authorities.
The women testified that when they reported Masterson to church officials, they were told they were not raped, were put through ethics programmes themselves, and were warned against going to law enforcement to report a member of such high standing.
“They were raped, they were punished for it, and they were retaliated against,” Deputy District Attorney Reinhold Mueller told jurors in his closing argument. “Scientology told them there’s no justice for them. You have the opportunity to show them there is justice.”
The church vehemently denied having any policy that forbids members from going to secular authorities.
Two women, who knew Masterson from social circles in the church, said he gave them drinks and that they then became woozy or passed out before he violently raped them in 2003.
The third, Masterson’s then-girlfriend of five years, said she woke to find him raping her, and had to pull his hair to stop him.
The issue of drugging also played a major role in the retrial. At the first, Judge Olmedo only allowed prosecutors and accusers to describe their disorientation, and to imply that they were drugged. The second time, they were allowed to argue it directly, and the prosecution attempted to make it a major factor, to no avail.
“The defendant drugs his victims to gain control,” Deputy District Attorney Ariel Anson said in her closing argument. “He does this to take away his victims’ ability to consent.”
Masterson was not charged with any counts of drugging, and there is no toxicology evidence to back up the assertion. His attorney asked for a mistrial over the issue’s inclusion. The motion was denied, but the issue is likely to be a major factor in any potential appeal.
These charges date to a period when Masterson was at the height of his fame, starring from 1998 until 2006 as Steven Hyde on Fox’s That ’70s Show — the show that made stars of Ashton Kutcher, Mila Kunis and Topher Grace.
Masterson had reunited with Kutcher on the 2016 Netflix comedy The Ranch, but was written out of the show when an LAPD investigation was revealed in December 2017.
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Lazy over unionised shower of wasters. Fire them all and get rid of siptu
Well said Martin
You would halve unemployment in this country if there were no unions .fact.
Why don’t you read about conditions before the unions were created. There was mass poverty and unemployment and bosses became rich on the backs of the workers. There is no doubt there is a lot of corruption within the union setup but society still needs the unions. It if wasn’t for people power then we would still be living in slums with no chance of escape. Wise up people. Bosses only pay what they have to, not what they want to.
You would half unemployment – with people working for a pittance.
Well said John.
True. But the pendulum has swung too far the other way now. These lads get 2.5 times pay for Sundays. Mgmt want this reduced to 2x times. Sunday is just another day. Should be normal time and just hire more drivers
Unfortunately this union have not to squeaky clean a balance sheet of quangos and perks
Sunday is not just another day it is a traditional day of rest. Life is not about working. Those forced to work Sunday should be compensated accordingly
Half unemployment and quarter wages and conditions
Sunday is a normal working day in a secular society which we are supposed to be. Put your bible back on the shelf
If I was a Muslim bus driver would I get double time for Friday !!!
Me bible ha ha as I’m in to that nonsense. Sunday is a rest day not for religion but to relax on any way you please. Life has become too much about work bit that’s only cos we follow everything the yanks do which is pathetic. Saturday and Sunday are not normal working days, life is not about work. That’s why Saturday and Sunday are called the weekend, you can relax and be yourself and if you have to work during the weekend you should be compensated for it
ScrapCroke- 30% shift allowance for Sunday in HP, Intel etc etc. ‘in the begining, there was man and woman’…
If somebody works Sunday to Thursday with Friday and Saturday as days of rest, then why should they be given 2.5 pay?
What’s a fair wage for a BUS driver Enola? A job that anyone can get if they take a Category D licence… One to which does not take 4 yrs to obtain… Perhaps like a college degree or the like?????
A fair wage is what drivers get a the moment, ive said to friends of mine to apply last time Dublin Bus were hiring, the response was “fu*k that the hours are crazy” I get a text message at 1pm each day telling what time to be in the following day, try planing your life around that!
Your driving a BUS Dave. A BUS. Do you honestly think you should be earning more than a graduate Nurse? You’re delusional if you think you do. Be glad you’re earning more than a Nurse if you are.
I earn the average industrial wage, for very unaverage hours, and a lot of responsibility, so I think I deserve the money I get
That’s great Dave. So basically you’ve just after saying you deserved to earn more than a Graduate Nurse who will have far more responsibility that you’ll ever have. Well done.
What I said was I make average money for crazy hours, nurses and anyone else with a degree will progress and earn more than me after a few years. You sir are a fool. When the time comes ill be telling my kids to go to college and not follow in my footsteps, but I still stand over my claims that I deserve the money I get
Dave, the only fool is you who believes that you are entitled to more money than a Grad Nurse. There are many career paths within Nursing. Not so much within Dublin Bus given that Bus Driving is a Semi Skilled job, at best.
Dave you get deserve every penny you get. I wouldn’t take any heed of the Thatcherite’s that would privatise everything in the name of profit if they could. You never said you deserve more than a nurse you just said you deserve what you get and you do. Nurses deserve more but they deserve more than fat cat bankers on obscene money but no mention of that. Getting a text at 1 to tell you what time you are in the next day is a disgrace
Try being unemployed you idle oaf.
See I’ve never been in hospital, but I’ve gotten hundreds of buses. I know which has had more importance in my life. And seeing as nurses are forever disputing their pay and conditions (and I totally support them) I’m surprised at your lack of support to people just trying to keep what they already have
Ah just let them wear their bloody shorts!
What if they have a massive tool?
Fair play to them standing up to protect their working conditions. Not hey deserve the pay and conditions they receive now as a minimum. Years ago they had conductors on board now have to deal with the public and a lot of sc.. hurling abuse at them or acting in an anti social way on their buses. Hold your ground lads or they will keep coming back for more. Fair play
Looks like everyone will have to miss the bus for a day or two. But what else can they do. Lie down and get walked on by upper management.
A protest by public transport works has serious knock on affects for others businesses. Many of which are suffering enough already
Well done bus drivers standing up to the management cut them first on big money,and to people that are moaning about how much they get they deserve it working shift work,Sundays,bank holidays,Stephens day,put up with abuse from passengers and it a job that anyone would do in the boom because they were to greedy,now they are crying about them so shut up
What exactly is the object of such a strong action?
To resist being shafted by management. Simples.
I know three bus drivers that are working there years. No recession for them lads. They are on 65-70k a year. I’m not slagging the job off but 65k a year for driving a bus is a bit over the top.
Even they say it is easy money, one of them got promoted to inspector a few years ago and is on about 80k. He is always commenting on how easy he has it and how stupid the senior management are.
If they outsourced the jobs they could buy the drivers for less than 40k a year and no pension entitlements.
Yes, you are a bit simple
65k to drive a bus is beyond ridiculous. Most Luas drivers are paid between 30-40k… And if you want to stretch that out further I can g’tee that there’s NO private bus operators paying anyone 65k to drive a bus. It’s time for the Government to grow a set of balls and privatise Dublin Bus.
I see you’ll go far Mr. Doyle
You said it buddy!
NO drivers in Dublin Bus earn 65k, its more like 35k!
There’s that word again. Outsourcing – a capitalist’s wet dream. What if ALL jobs are outsourced. Have you even thought it true?
Yeah, let’s all work for minimum wage
True=through
That explains how the fella in clontarf depot can afford his corvette
Cmon folks, privatise, it worked with the bins didn’t it? Didn’t it???
I come from a long line of family that work in Dublin bus both as drivers and inspectors your figures there are complete bull waffle if my da was earning 80k a year I don’t think we’d be in the rut we are now maybe your just too gullible and believe everything he says yeah it is an easy job but not that easy mate
The fella with the corrvette in clontarf isnt a driver, and the car is 13 years old
You are racist
Sorry, that comment is to mr jingles, his comment should be removed by the journal and he should be barred
The people who always end up being shafted are the paying customers who use the state monopoly.
Good to see some people standing up against all these cuts.the people on the ground that is ,take the payouts from the exorbitant salaries of the management .its a pity the public will have to suffer with no buses or possibly no trains ,
In your opinion, what’s a fair salary for a bus driver?
In your opinion what’a a fair salary??
I couldn’t put a figure on it ,because I’d have to see their rosters and what sort of shifts they do,the premium payments should go as train drivers don’t get these or any other allowances only flat rates.but as in Irish rail ,Dublin bus management are on huge salaries for running “not a great service”.my point was that it seems the ground workers take most if not all the hits not management,but that’s just my opinion
Irish rail drivers make about 10k more a year then bus drivers, and in my opinion its an easier job
Ah right… Lets start at the base salary for a Nurse (an educated job which requires 4yrs+ other training). Base salary is c30k. The only comparison one can make is that Nurses work on a shift work basis. Based on this fact, I would love to hear you what think a Bus Driver should be paid.
They’re paid too much as well Dave (Irish Rail drivers).
If u want a job in public transport go apply for one, but forget about working 9-5 monday to friday and expect to be abused, spat at, threatened with a syringe and pissed on from the upper deck. Still want my 35k job?
A grad Nurse is paid c30k. Also comes in front of Joe / Josephine public and will encounter the same set of issues a BUS driver will face. I’d happily take your job Dave. Easy life as far as I’m concerned vs. a Nurse vs. a Private worker. If I’d known what I know now I’d have skipped 6 odd years in College to drive a BUS.
Well off you go, Dublin Bus will be looking for new grivers soon enough
Id love to know who these drivers are that are on 65/70k a year.. they’re obviously single no kids and living at home with mammy. No obligations so they can do as much overtime as possible, the ordinary married with kids drivers only earn between 35/40k a year at a push.
In the boom time there was a very small group of drivers doing overtime anytime they could, some of them may have make 60k in about 2008. Overtime is mostly a thing of the past now in DB.
Is that top Deco or bottom Deco?
Reality check badly needed by these workers . Fare increase on top of fare increase to sustain these ludicrously high pay rates. Hopefully they’ll be faced down by the company. roster changes excetera are a fact of life for most people today
I think you’ll find that it’s utterly useless & incompetent top heavy management who are behind fare increases & service cuts, drivers have no say in these processes. Most drivers would favour a reduced flat fare & rigorous policing of the free travel scheme & anti social behaviour. But that’s up to management & I’ve never known turkeys to vote for Xmas.
True true big, that eventually all came out in the Bus Eireann dispute. It ended pretty quickly after management agreed to shoulder the burden.
“big smoke”best comment yet ….jobs for the boys
Ive been working for Dublin bus for nearly 7 years now and their has been a fare increase almost every year I’ve been there. I’ve had no pay increase in that time. So mate you haven’t a clue what you’re talking about.
More nonsense from SIPTU, this is a PR exercise to reassure drivers because SIPTU left their members in limbo when the strike happened in Bus Éireann. They are obliged under the labour relations act to engage with management as are all trade unions. SIPTU are almost broke, it’s publicly available information. It’s about the money for them. Any future ballot will be influenced by the fact it has since transpired that managements contribution to the Bus Éireann recovery plan will only apply to future appointments, not the current crop. That’s for to be like a red rag to a bill!
If i was on their lovely salary a year with other perks of double pay on bank holidays and such i would probably fight to keep it as well. Dont think anyone is going to happily take a pay cut. Overpaid or not people are going to protect their wages.
Drivers arent over paid, Im a Dublin bus driver, at the top of the salary scale, I take home €550 euro a week, for that money I work most weekends, sometimes I’m up at 4am, other days I get hone at 1am, spend 8 hours a day in Dublin traffic, etc etc!
Dave, the management stooges on this thread will probably tell us it’s an urban myth. Keep the faith buddy.
Join a union then
Well said Enola
The fact you earn more than I do Dave says it all. How long did it take to get your Category D licence?
I doubt it took 4 yrs+… And by that account did you learn anything else bar be able to drive a bus?? Please.
The only thing it says is that you made different choices in life and education. Maybe you should stop measuring.
Id have some sort of respect for u if you even posted under your own name. Let me guess you went to college in celtic tiger times and life isnt as rosey as you expected it to be??
SmcB – what do you work at? Put up or shut up. Some people decide to be nurses – others bus drivers. They knew the rates. End of story.
Before u ask for other peoples opinion on Bus drivers pay…. what industry do u work in SMcB?
Tom, I spent 6yrs in College. Cert, Degree and a Masters. I can safely say I’m on nothing near what a BUS driver is on in Dublin Bus. How long does is take to get a Category D licence Tom? Answer me that.
Why don’t u become a bus driver its its so easy and pays so much
SMcB… if you think driving a bus is a better job than the one you’re doing now, it suggests you probably didn’t do enough research before you started your degree and Masters. Anyway, what’s stopping you retraining as a bus driver now?
I have a degree and a Master’s too. And I earn less than some of the amounts being quoted for bus drivers. But guess what? I don’t want to spend 8 hours a day sitting in traffic being abused by drunk passengers at night. I made my choices. So did you.
@ Tom. He’s a nurse.
As an Irish man driving a bus in new York city for the past twenty two years no matter what city you drive a bus in you earn every penny. Anyone can get a license to drive a bus but when it comes to actually driving the bus safely day and night, snow , ice, poor road conditions, nasty passengers who think the bus has wings and give the driver the nasty look when the board and get off with no thanks… if you never drove a bus then put a lid on it. go on Dublin bus drivers – hope you get all the money you deserve.
Did you leave Ireland cos you were tired of people slagging you for having a girls name Ann?
This mandate has to be sanctioned by irish congress of trade unions and yet again in a transport dispute this union ill informs its members has two ballots but fails to inform members of obligations under 1990 industrial relations act to have secret ballot results passed by congress.The other union involved in the company are engaging with company to try resolve issues with ballot for strike as a last resort
Sean, that’s not the case, however you’re on the right line for an ‘all out’ strike but not in this case
It is shocking to hear some people comments degrading the job of a bus driver , it’s not as easy as these people think driving around in all weather conditions dealing all the traffic around the city and dealing with all kinds situations like people with drink and drug problems and there comes the hours that they do , the hours are not like all shifts there 10 times worst and getting 1 weekend off in 5 weeks , so for 35k a year I think it’s way not enough in my opinion far play to them standing up to this government and the bankers because in real terms that’s y the whole of Ireland have to take cuts because of these baffoons.
35k a year for driving a bus. Sounds correct.
I’m not having a go at just the journal ….but the media in general need to do a better job reporting things like potential strikes , why can’t journalists do some more research and give the full facts of both sides of a dispute and then let people take a more informed view , from reading these reports you get no insight except that there’s a vote , a labour court recommendation and a potential strike looming as mgt want to impose cuts…i get that..and then lots of wild speculation about whats really earned and what cuts are being implemented.some straight q jest ions would help, , how much do we pay drivers , how many do overtime , at what cost , how does this compare to other european averages , what level of cuts are proposed , how much will this impact drivers , does it effect all drivers , there are just so many questions that should be easy enough to find out and report on …one paragraph “stories” look like reprinting a Siptu press release and not much else.
*no one. *
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