Entertainment
Danny Masterson’s Attorneys Slam Court Over Rejected Rape Conviction Appeal
Danny Masterson‘s attorneys are going scorched earth on a California appeals court … accusing judges of ignoring bombshell evidence after upholding the actor’s rape convictions.
The “That ’70s Show” star’s lawyers, Cliff Gardner and Eric Multhaup, are unloading on the court after it rejected his appeal and habeas corpus petition Tuesday … claiming judges overlooked evidence they insist proves Masterson is innocent.
Gardner tells TMZ … the decision ignores “extraordinary new evidence” that’s been before the court for more than a year … he claims they have statements from both women Masterson was convicted of raping saying their sexual encounters with him were consensual and positive.
He isn’t mincing words … saying, “Danny is serving a life sentence for crimes he did not commit.”
Multhaup goes even further … claiming one of the women told two close friends her sexual encounter with Masterson was her “best sex ever” long before accusing him of forcible rape.
As for the other woman, Multhaup claims she once compared notes about her sexual experience with Masterson during a lighthearted conversation with another woman who had also slept with him … years before making her own rape allegation.
Both women are now suing Masterson for damages, according to Multhaup … who argues these alleged conversations could have made a major difference in his criminal trial.
But here’s what really has the attorneys fired up … Multhaup says none of that evidence was presented to the jury, and accuses the appeals court of failing to address it in its ruling.
He slams the court for what he calls a “one-paragraph summary” of the prosecution’s evidence … adding the decision’s “cursory treatment reflects poorly on the administration of justice.”
And Masterson’s legal team isn’t backing down … Gardner and Multhaup say they’ll seek review from the California Supreme Court while continuing to fight his convictions through separate legal proceedings.
As TMZ previously reported, Masterson was convicted in 2023 of raping two women and sentenced to 30 years to life in prison — he has maintained his innocence.
The convictions stand … but his attorneys are nowhere near done fighting.