EXCLUSIVE: Danny Masterson Claims Religious Rights Were Violated in Assault Trial
Danny Masterson has claimed his religious rights were violated during his r--- trial amid his legal battle.
Aug. 21 2026, Published 6:15 a.m. ET
Longtime Scientologist Danny Masterson – who is serving a 30-years-to-life prison sentence after he was convicted of r----- two women more than two decades ago – claims his religious rights were violated during his criminal trial.
As RadarOnline.com previously reported, the That '70s Show alum, 50, was tried twice. The first ended in a mistrial, but during the second, Masterson was found guilty of r----- two unnamed women. However, the jury was deadlocked on r--- charges for a third.
Masterson Claims Religious Rights Violated
Danny Masterson's attorney Cliff Gardner asked an appeals court to overturn the actor's 2023 conviction.
All three of the disgraced TV star's accusers were members of the controversial Church of Scientology.
Masterson has asked the court of appeals to overturn his 2023 conviction.
According to a report in journalist Tony Ortega's The Underground Bunker Substack, Masterson's attorney Cliff Gardner submitted a 26-page filing related to the convict's appeal that argues the actor's religious rights were violated during court proceedings.
Gardner wrote: "The judge announced that she would personally interpret a portion of Scientology scripture herself."
By doing so, Gardner maintained: "The trial court's decision to interpret scripture on its own, to reject the Church's own interpretation and adopt the prosecution's version of scripture, and to permit the prosecution to present evidence that its partisan version was correct violated the First Amendment."
Lawyer Challenges Scientology Evidence Ruling
Gardner argued the trial court's handling of Scientology evidence violated Masterson's First Amendment rights.
Gardner also stated the court "instructed jurors that the Scientology evidence it heard – aside from the testimony of [Jane Doe 3's husband] – could be considered for the truth of the matter."
Accepting the Scientology evidence for "its truth," Gardner said, jurors would believe Scientology "did not recognize" r--- or sexual assault, "did not allow its members to report any other members" to authorities, "punished members" who reported crimes, "required its members to follow the law of Scientology rather than laws of the United States" and "prevented members from taking medicine."
Judge Accused of Hostile Comments
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Bijou Phillips filed for divorce from Masterson immediately after his sentencing.
The legal eagle also argues that the judge "made numerous hostile comments about Mr. Masterson's church and faith" and referred to the charged r---- as "an organizational crime," implying the Church of Scientology was involved.
Masterson, whose now ex-wife Bijou Phillips filed for divorce immediately after his sentencing, has maintained the sexual encounters were consensual.
