Danny Masterson Blames Lawyers for 30-Year Prison Sentence

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Danny Masterson, the former star of That ’70s Show, is attempting to have his 30-year prison sentence overturned, claiming his trial lawyer didn’t provide an adequate defense. He is currently incarcerated at the California Men’s Colony in San Luis Obispo after being found guilty of two counts of r in 2023.

A legal petition filed Monday claims Danny Masterson’s original lawyer, Philip Cohen, made critical errors during his trial. The petition argues Cohen didn’t call important witnesses and didn’t dispute the prosecution’s arguments regarding Scientology. According to the document, Masterson specifically asked Cohen to present some evidence for the defense, but Cohen refused.

The accusations against Masterson involve events that took place at his Hollywood Hills house in 2003. He was found guilty on two counts, but the jury couldn’t agree on a verdict for the third. In a previous trial in 2022, jurors appeared ready to find him not guilty on all counts, but they were ultimately unable to reach a decision.

Scientology played a significant role in both court cases. Prosecutors claimed the church discouraged victims from reporting crimes. Two women testified that they were threatened with being kicked out of the church if they contacted the police. In the second trial, Claire Headley, a former member, explained that the church requires approval before anyone can go to the authorities.

The legal petition argues that the church’s attorneys advised Cohen to contact Hugh Whitt, a dedicated member of the Church of Scientology, to dispute the existing testimony. Although Whitt was considered as a potential defense witness, Cohen and his legal team ultimately chose not to call him to testify.

Cohen minimized the focus on Scientology during the trials, questioning why it was being emphasized. During his closing statement, he suggested, “Is the government’s case weak in other areas, leading them to highlight Scientology instead?”

The petition claims Cohen’s lawyer consistently avoided presenting a positive defense, instead choosing to question the prosecution’s case. While this tactic nearly succeeded in the first trial, the second trial involved more compelling evidence and a more forceful prosecutor. Cohen’s legal team allegedly didn’t change their approach and didn’t thoroughly investigate potential witnesses who could have disputed the accusers’ claims.

The petition argues that the jury only heard a small part of the evidence that could have helped the defense, focusing on inconsistencies in the accusers’ stories. Crucially, a lot of evidence clearly showing the defendant’s innocence wasn’t presented, and there was no good reason for this.

Danny Masterson’s legal team filed an additional appeal in December, disputing some of the judge’s decisions during the trial. This latest appeal centers on evidence that wasn’t shown to the jury. According to Eric Multhaup, one of Masterson’s lawyers, the jury only heard one perspective – the prosecution’s – and Masterson deserves a new trial where his side of the story can also be presented.

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2025-11-17 22:15