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Google PlayA judge declared a mistrial in Danny Masterson’s rape trial on Wednesday when the jury could not reach a verdict following nearly a week of deliberations, according to the Hollywood Reporter.
“I find the jury is hopelessly deadlocked,” Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Charlaine Olmedo said. “Therefore, I do declare a mistrial.”
Olmedo also read a letter from the jury, which stated, “After thorough and considerable discussion, it is clear that we as jurors are adamant about maintaining our individual positions on each of the three counts.”
The jury voted three times on Tuesday, and another four times the next day.
TMZ reports the jury started deliberating two weeks ago prior to the Thanksgiving break. When they resumed, two jurors needed to be replaced after testing positive for COVID.
“This was a jury that went through each bit of testimony and had some heartfelt and significant discussions about credibility,” Masterson’s attorney Philip K. Cohen said in response to the mistrial. “It speaks volumes.”
Cohen added, “Given the facts in this case, the testimony in this case and the evolution of the statements in this case, it’d be very difficult to find 12 people who truly considered this case to convict.” A status conference has been scheduled for Jan. 12 to determine what will happen next. A tentative new trial date has been set for March 27.
In 2020, Masterson was accused of forcibly raping three different women between 2001 and 2003 in his Hollywood Hills home. He was charged with three counts of sexual assault.
