‘The Ranch’ Star Danny Masterson Denies Sexual Assault Amid LAPD Investigation
The Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) is currently conducting an ongoing investigation on multiple sexual assault allegations against The Ranch and That ’70s Show star Danny Masterson. Per Variety, Masterson has adamantly denied these allegations to be true.
Is Scientology hiding the truth?
A journalist named Tony Ortega – who is known for reporting on the Church of Scientology – claimed on his website that the Church is responsible for covering up the sexual allegations against Danny. Per Ortega, some of the allegations stem all the way back to the year 2000. Variety notes the LAPD has yet to release a statement regarding whether or not the Church of Scientology is involved in the assault allegations.
LAPD investigating Danny Masterson over allegations of sexual assault https://t.co/93E6K3B1kT pic.twitter.com/4eMIkBaf9l
— The Hollywood Reporter (@THR) March 3, 2017
The official statement the LAPD did release regarding the investigation against Danny Masterson can be read – in full – below.
“The Los Angeles Police Department Robbery Homicide Division, Sexual Assault Section, is conducting an investigation involving the actor Danny Masterson. Three women have come forward and disclosed that they were sexually assaulted by Masterson during the early 2000’s.”
A representative of The Ranch and That ’70s Show did send a statement to Variety claiming the allegations were not only “false” but appeared to have an ulterior motive.
“False allegations appear to be motivated to boost Leah Remini’s anti-Scientology television series.”
A police report that was obtained by Ortega lists Jenni Weinman – the publicist of Masterson – as a witness to one of the three sexual assaults. Jenni Weinman, however, was the same representative of the actor who sent the official statement to Variety claiming the statements were false with an ulterior motive.
Ortega, however, believes the three women were also members of the Church of Scientology and were pressured by other members of the church not to report what happened to the police.
Danny Masterson is best known for his role as Steven Hyde in the Fox sitcom titled The ’70s Show. He also stars with Ashton Kutcher in a Netflix Original comedy called The Ranch. Danny is currently married to Bijou Phillips.
How will this impact The Ranch?
According to What’s On Netflix, Season 2 of The Ranch has already been confirmed. The Netflix news fan site also guessed that they had likely already started filming Season 2 and part 1 of Season 2 would likely be released around April of 2017. While chances are pretty good part 1 of Season 2 has finished filming by now, there is no way of knowing if they have also finished filming part 2 of Season 2. Part 2 of Season 2 is estimated to be released around October of 2017. There is, however, always a possibility the current LAPD investigations against Danny Masterson could stall filming and delay the release of either Part 1 or Part 2 of The Ranch Season 2 on Netflix.
Did Leah Remini coerce the victims into coming forward?
The Variety speculates three alleged sexual assault victims only came forward and reported what happened to the LAPD after talking to Remini following the A&E Scientology docu-series, Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath. Is it possible this is nothing more than a publicity stunt to draw more attention to Leah’s series? Masterson’s representative seemed to speculate that may be the case.
EXCLUSIVE UPDATE: Danny Masterson's 'rep' attacking victims was listed as a WITNESS to one assault https://t.co/L7AppWkjPu #Scientology pic.twitter.com/a1k4Ait83z
— Tony Ortega (@TonyOrtega94) March 3, 2017
“I met with the LAPD. I met with Detective Reyes, and I told her these victims deserve to be heard,” Remini told Ortega.
“I pointed out to her that there was a framed picture of a Scientologist on their wall, actor Michael Peña. Do you know what that says to a young Scientologist who comes here to seek justice? My experience with the LAPD has not been good. I asked her to do the right thing by these girls, and I told her that the world is watching.”
Danny Masterson has denied these sexual assault allegations to be true. The question is – do you believe him? Would he admit to the crime even if he had committed it? Is the Church of Scientology covering up Masterson’s crime? Alternatively, is his representative telling the truth – and this is all just a stunt to push Remini’s new series? Share your thoughts in the comment’s section found down below.
[Featured Image by Mark Davis/Getty Images]
