A decide declared a mistrial after jurors grew to become “hopelessly deadlocked” within the case of That ’70s Show actor Danny Masters, who was charged with three rapes.

Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Charlaine Olmedo had ordered the jurors to take Thanksgiving week off and hold deliberating after they informed her on November 18 that they might not come to a consensus concerning the rape allegations after a month-long trial by which the Church of Scientology performed a supporting position.

Masterson, 46, was charged with the rape of three ladies, together with a former girlfriend, in his Hollywood Hills residence between 2001 and 2003.

He pleaded not responsible and his lawyer mentioned the acts have been all consensual.

All three ladies have been members of the church on the time and Masterson stays one.

“I find the jurors hopelessly deadlocked,” the decide declared after inquiring whether or not there was something the court docket might do to maneuver them nearer to reaching a unanimous determination.

Jurors mentioned they’d voted seven occasions on Tuesday and Wednesday with out having the ability to attain consensus on any of the three counts.

The jury foreman mentioned solely two jurors voted for conviction on the primary rely, 4 voted for conviction on the second rely and 5 voted to convict on the third rely.

Jurors have been pressured to begin deliberations from scratch on Monday when two needed to be dismissed as a result of they got here down with Covid-19. They deliberated for 2 days however nonetheless couldn’t attain verdicts.

The outcome was a severe setback for prosecutors and for the three ladies who mentioned they have been in search of lengthy overdue justice.

The proceedings befell amid a flurry of circumstances on each coasts with MeToo connotations, together with the Los Angeles trial of Harvey Weinstein simply down the corridor from Masterson’s.

In New York, Kevin Spacey gained a sexual misconduct conduct lawsuit introduced by actor Anthony Rapp whereas in a separate civil case a jury ordered director and screenwriter Paul Haggis to pay 10 million {dollars} (£8.3m).