Masterson mistrial after jury deadlocked
A judge declared a mistrial after jurors became "hopelessly deadlocked" in the case of That '70s Show actor Danny Masterson, who was charged with three rapes.
Los Angeles superior court judge charlaine olme do had ordered the jurors to take Thanksgiving week off and keep deliberating after they told her on November 18 that they could not come to a consensus about the rape allegations after a month-long trial in which the Church of Scientology played a supporting role.
Masterson, 46, was charged with the rape of three women, including a former girlfriend, in his hollywood hills home between 2001 and 2003.
He pleaded not guilty and his lawyer said the acts were all consensual.
All three women were members of the church at the time and Masterson remains one.
"I find the jurors hopelessly deadlocked," the judge declared after they voted seven times without reaching a unanimous decision.