Trigger warning: This article contains descriptions of sexual violence. Her husband was just sentenced to 30 years to life behind bars, and now friends of Danny Masterson’s wife have revealed how she responded to his rape sentence.
If you or someone you know has experienced sexual violence, free and confidential help is available. Call the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-4673.
Masterson was accused in March 2017 of raping three women in separate incidents between 2001 and 2003 when That 70’s Show was still on air. He was charged in 2020. The actor, who played Steven Hyde, pleaded not guilty to all three charges in 2021 and went on trial, though it was declared a mistrial in December 2022 after the jury was deadlocked, i.e., they couldn’t unanimously agree on whether to convict him for the third rape.
The three women who claimed Masterson assaulted them through the Church of Scientology met with journalist Tony Ortega. He posted the allegations as he claimed that one victim approached former Scientologist Leah Remini and told her what allegedly happened. The woman was then advised to file a police report by Remini, according to Ortega.
“I met with the LAPD. I met with Detective Reyes [of the robbery-homicide division, who was assigned the case], and I told her these victims deserve to be heard,” Remini told Ortega at the time. “I asked her to do the right thing by these girls, and I told her that the world is watching.”
How did Danny Masterson’s wife respond to his rape sentence?
How did Danny Masterson’s wife respond to his rape sentence? According to NBC News, Phillips “quickly donned a pair of sunglasses” after Superior Court Judge Charlaine Olmedo announced the sentence and “left the courtroom without a word.”
A friend close to Phillips said she was devastated by her husband’s sentencing and at the notion she would have to raise their daughter on her own, telling MailOnline.com in an article published on September 8, 2023: “Currently Bijou is circling the drain and is filled with all the emotion and no emotion at all,” the insider said.
“She is a shell of who she has been. She is really trying to be strong for her daughter as she is trying to figure out life and what it will be like for her. It can only be compared to a divorce or a death for her not being able to be with Danny the way they were.”
The insider continued: “Friends are trying to be there for her, but things are really tough. She is really trying to figure it all out and what her life will be after all things are said and done. Whatever happens with Danny will change her life forever and, in a not so dignified word, it just sucks.”
Following her husband’s court date, a source revealed to People that Phillips plans to stick with her husband throughout his jail sentence. “She has had a very difficult time since the conviction,” the insider said. “She loves Danny and has no plans to file for divorce. She will be by his side for it all.” The source added that she was “surrounded by family friends” and “she is in touch with his lawyer. They are planning appeals. She tries to stay hopeful.”
Days after the sentencing on September 19, 2023, TMZ reported that Bijou Philips filed for divorce from Masterson. Her attorney, Peter A. Lauzon told the gossip site, “Ms. Phillips has decided to file for divorce from her husband during this unfortunate time. Her priority remains with her daughter.”
He continued, “This period has been unimaginably hard on the marriage and the family. Mr. Masterson was always present for Ms. Phillips during her most difficult times of her life. Ms. Phillips acknowledges that Mr. Masterson is a wonderful father to their daughter.”
Superior Court Judge Charlaine Olmedo issued a scathing assessment of Masterson before she dispatched him to prison. “Mr. Masterson, I know that you’re sitting here steadfast in your claims of innocence and thus no doubt feeling victimized by a justice system that has failed you,” she said, per NBC News. “But Mr. Masterson, you are not the victim here.”
In reading their victim impact statements, the court heard a heart-wrenching account of how the victims’ lives had been forever altered by his actions. “When you raped me, you stole from me,” Jane Doe #2 told the court.
“That’s what rape is, a theft of the spirit. You are pathetic, disturbed and completely violent,” she said. “The world is better off with you in prison.” Jane Doe #1 said Masterson “has not shown an ounce of remorse for the pain he caused. I knew he belonged behind bars for the safety of all the women he came into contact with,” she said. “I am so sorry, and I’m so upset. I wish I’d reported him sooner to the police.” Jane Doe #3 said Masterson’s actions sentenced her to “viewing my body as a crime scene my entire life.”
Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón said he applauded the women for “coming forward and participating in this process,” adding that he hoped it encouraged others to come forward about instances of abuse in Hollywood. “My hope is that this sentence will somehow bring them peace and that their bravery will be an example to others,” he said. “One of my top priorities is to ensure that Los Angeles will no longer be a hunting ground for Hollywood elite who feel entitled to prey on women.”
Shawn Holley, a lawyer for Masterson, told reporters outside the courtroom that she was “very disappointed” in the sentence, noting that a team of lawyers had reviewed the case and found “a number of significant evidentiary and constitutional issues” that they planned to use in appeals. “Though we have great respect for the jury, and for our system of justice, sometimes they get it wrong — and that’s what happened here,” Holley said, noting that Masterson maintains his innocence.
If you or someone you know has experienced sexual violence, free and confidential help is available. Call the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-4673.
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