Update on Danny Masterson Sexual Assault Case as Scrutiny Increases

The sexual assault case surrounding That ’70s Show actor Danny Masterson is facing a new wave of criticism.

A months-long investigation into accusations that Masterson violently raped four women in the early 2000s has seemingly been stalled in L.A.’s courts, the Huffington Post reported.

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Allegations implying an extended history of sexual assault arose back in March when four women came forward accusing the Church of Scientology member of rape. Three of those women were also members of the Church of Scientology, which has a history of covering up allegations against the organization and its members.

In 2004, one of Masterson’s accusers filed a police report alleging that she was raped in 2003. The case failed to move forward when the Church of Scientology submitted over 50 affidavits from Scientologists denying the woman’s claims. Sources with knowledge of the case have said that the woman’s case files “vanished.” Deputy District Attorney Reinhold Mueller had the job of reconstructing it.

Now, the new case seems to have faced a similar fate.

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In 2017, the new case against Masterson was referred by police to the district attorney, who has conducted its own investigation. Although evidence in the case, which includes audiotapes, emails sent to and from Scientology officers at the time the rapes are alleged to have happened, forensic computer evidence, and threatening handwritten letters Masterson sent to one of his accusers, has been called compelling and “overwhelming,” charges have not been approved for filing, and the case remains hanging in limbo. Multiple sources who are familiar with Mueller have stated their confusion over the stalling of the case.

Masterson has denied all allegations against him and has since hired lawyer Thomas Mesereau to serve as his criminal defense attorney. A spokesperson for Mesereau declined to comment about the case, as did a spokesperson for the district attorney’s office.