The Guardian reported that actor Danny Masterson has lost his appeal against his rape conviction, meaning his 30-year prison sentence has been upheld. The outlet's full account is available in its report on the ruling.
According to The Guardian, Masterson, best known for his role on That '70s Show, was convicted in 2023 of two counts of rape against two women in 2003. The outlet said both women were Scientologists and that Masterson was sentenced to 30 years in prison for the convictions.
The Guardian's headline summarizes the ruling as a loss for Masterson after he argued that the judge in the case was biased against Scientology. The outlet's summary develops that same point, reporting that the appeal rested on the claim of judicial bias.
The Guardian reported that the appeal's argument about the judge was not successful. The outlet's summary does not describe how the appeals court addressed that argument or what reasoning it gave for its decision.
The Guardian also referred to a third charge connected to the case. The excerpt cuts off before describing that charge, so the outlet's account of it cannot be confirmed from the text provided.
The Guardian's piece was written by Sian Cain. The summary does not name the court that issued the ruling, and it does not include a response from Masterson or his representatives.
Because the outlet's summary is partial, this account reports only the points The Guardian states directly. Further detail on the ruling may appear in the full report.