Aiexpress – A judge in Los Angeles Superior Court denied convicted rapist and former That ’70s Show star Danny Masterson bail because he is a flight risk and has “every incentive to flee.”
In a court order obtained by Deadline, Judge Charlaine Olmedo—who also oversaw both of Masterson’s rape trials—wrote: “If defendant’s conviction and sentence are upheld on appeal, he will likely remain in custody for decades and perhaps the rest of his life.”
Judge Charlaine Olmedo, who oversaw both of Masterson’s rape trials, wrote in a court order that the defendant would likely stay in jail for decades or even the rest of his life if his conviction and sentence were confirmed on appeal.
Masterson, who is currently imprisoned at North Kern State Prison in Delano, California, is serving a 30-year-to-life sentence. Last June, a jury found him guilty of two counts of forcible rape, and he received his conviction in September 2023. Masterson, along with Tory Lanez, will be eligible for parole in 20 years.
Olmedo stated in the court order that since the defendant does not have a wife to go home to, referring to the ongoing divorce proceedings between Masterson and his wife Bijou Phillips, the defendant now has a strong motivation to escape and little justification to return to state prison to complete the rest of his lengthy sentence if his appeal is unsuccessful.
The actor’s wife appeared visibly distraught during his September hearing, which The Messenger attended in the courtroom. She was seen crying intermittently as victims shared their impact statements and Judge Olmedo rejected Masterson’s plea for a new trial. A month later, Phillips decided to file for divorce, citing “irreconcilable differences.”
In a recent development, attorneys Clifford Gardner and Eric Multhaup, who make up Masterson’s new legal team, have filed a motion on Jan. 17. The motion requests the court to grant bail on appeal and proposes the fulfillment of any relevant terms and conditions that would allow Masterson to fulfill his roles as a parent and financial provider for his family. This may include house arrest and/or participation in an electronic monitoring program under the probation department. As reported by Deadline, Gardner and Multhaup assure that Masterson poses no danger and is not likely to flee.
I reached out to Masterson’s legal team and the Los Angeles Superior Court for more information.
