Danny Masterson Alleges Legal Counsel Failed to Defend Against Scientology Claims in Rape Conviction Appeal
Danny Masterson, the former “That ’70s Show” star serving a 30-years-to-life sentence for rape, is alleging his attorney did not adequately defend him against accusations related to Scientology during his trial. Court documents reveal Masterson claims his lawyer,Chad Cohen,chose not to challenge the prosecutor’s arguments concerning the Church of Scientology,a point of contention throughout the proceedings.
Masterson was arrested in June 2020 on three charges of rape alleged to have occurred between 2001 and 2003. He pleaded not guilty in January 2021, but a jury found him guilty of raping two of the three women in May 2023.The actor was afterward sentenced to 30 years to life in prison and is currently incarcerated at the California Men’s Colony facility. Masterson’s appeal, filed in december 2024, argues multiple errors occurred during the trial, violating his rights to confrontation and a fair trial.
According to a filing, Masterson believes “the jury saw only the tip of the iceberg of available defence evidence.” Cohen was not promptly available for comment when contacted by Page Six.
The case has drawn important attention, notably due to the involvement of Scientology, with prosecutors arguing the church aided Masterson in silencing his accusers. Masterson’s ex-wife, bijou Phillips, filed for divorce in September 2023 shortly after his sentencing, and in October 2025, she filed a petition to remove Masterson’s last name from their 11-year-old daughter, Fianna Francis’s, surname.Phillips had previously stood by Masterson throughout the trial, but reportedly experienced a “very difficult time” following his conviction, according to people magazine.
