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Danny Masterson’s Appeal Denied

A California appeals court has rejected Danny Masterson’s attempt to overturn his rape convictions, leaving his 30-years-to-life prison sentence in place. The case has attracted international attention because of its connections to the Church of Scientology.

28 October 2026 | Legal Accountability | SP International

A major setback for Masterson

Danny Masterson, best known for playing Steven Hyde in That ’70s Show, was convicted in May 2023 of forcibly raping two women at his Hollywood Hills home in 2003. He was sentenced to 30 years to life in prison in September 2023.

His defence team challenged the convictions on several grounds, including the handling of evidence and the trial court’s decisions. The appeal sought to establish that legal errors justified overturning the verdict.

The court rejected the arguments presented as grounds for overturning the convictions. The existing judgment and sentence therefore remain in effect.

Why Scientology was central to the case

Masterson was a prominent Scientologist, and the two women whose allegations resulted in his convictions were members of the Church of Scientology at the time.

Testimony about the organisation’s practices and the women’s experiences within it formed part of the trial evidence. The prosecution presented this material in the context of the allegations and the circumstances surrounding the women’s experiences.

Masterson’s lawyers argued that the handling of Scientology-related evidence had prejudiced the trial and raised religious-freedom concerns. The Church of Scientology International also submitted an amicus curiae brief supporting religious-liberty arguments.

An amicus curiae brief is a submission by someone who is not a party to a case but wishes to offer arguments or information for the court to consider.

The appeal’s rejection means those arguments did not provide a sufficient legal basis to overturn the convictions. The ruling concerns the criminal proceedings; it is not a general ruling on Scientology doctrine.

Read the official court ruling

Readers can consult the original Court of Appeal opinion and examine the judges’ reasoning directly.

READ THE OFFICIAL COURT RULING →

The opinion is listed as People v. Masterson, case number B333069, filed on 27 October 2026. It is classified as an unpublished opinion.

Lara was outside the courthouse

Lara was outside the courthouse protesting and following developments in the case. Her livestream provides on-the-ground coverage from the day of the decision.

Watch Lara’s livestream below.

If the video cannot be played here, watch it directly on YouTube.

WATCH LARA’S LIVESTREAM →

What happens next?

Further legal proceedings may follow if Masterson’s lawyers seek additional review. A request for further review does not itself overturn a conviction.

For now, the convictions and sentence remain in place. Any further challenge will depend on the proceedings available to the defence and the decisions of the courts involved.

Why this case matters

The Masterson case raises important questions about accountability, the treatment of sexual-assault allegations and the relationship between religious liberty and criminal justice.

Religious freedom is an important legal protection. At the same time, courts must be able to consider relevant evidence when assessing allegations, witness experiences and the circumstances surrounding a criminal case.

SP International will continue to follow relevant developments and report on further proceedings.