Danny Masterson jury hears rape statements read

(lr) Los Angeles County Assistant District Attorneys Ariel Anson and Reinhold Mueller, actor and rape suspect Danny Masterson and his wife Bijou Phillips. (Photos by Meghann M. Cuniff/Law&Crime)

Jury in Actors Danny Mastersons The rape trial will continue to be considered on Wednesday after a request to have an alleged victim’s testimony read out.

They left around 4:00 p.m. Tuesday and are scheduled to return to the Los Angeles County Superior Court judge Charlaine F. Olmedos Courtroom at 9am to hear the clerk read the record aloud Chrissie Carnell-Bixlers Transcript about Masterson, who allegedly raped her in November 2001. The jury emphasized that they wanted to hear all testimony about the encounter, including cross-examination, at a slow pace that could last several hours.

Carnell-Bixler is one of the women Masterson is accused of raping at his former Hollywood Hills home between 2001 and 2003. At that time he was one of the most famous stars on television, playing the role of Steven Hyde on That 70’s showand he and Carnell-Bixler were living together and in a romantic relationship.

But Masterson is also a life member of the Church of Scientology, and his alleged victims testified about church members trying to downplay what happened to them while defending Masterson. The Church of Scientology denies any wrongdoing and says the Los Angeles County Attorney’s Office is trying to use Masterson’s religion against him.

Tuesday marked the second full day of deliberations for the second jury transfer after two jurors were released over the weekend for COVID diagnoses. They were replaced by deputies.

Olmedo ordered the deliberations to begin again on Monday. The previous jury had announced in the middle of its third day of deliberations on November 18 that they could not reach a consensus on any of Masterson’s three charges.

But instead of declaring a mistrial, Olmedo did what many California state judges do with hung juries, telling them they hadn’t thought long enough to consider all the evidence and therefore couldn’t declare themselves deadlocked. But the deadlocked jury never deliberated further. Instead, Olmedo sent her home and told her to return on November 28, prompting the two proxies to move in due to COVID diagnoses.

The original jury never publicly explained the nature of their split. The new jury was silent all Monday and most of Tuesday until they called for Carnell-Bixler’s testimony to be read.

The reading will not include testimony from Carnell-Bixler’s husband, Cedric Bixler Zavalathe lead singer of The Mars Volta, who testified as a supporting witness for his wife but did not discuss the November 2001 incident.

Masterson, 46, faces 45 years of life imprisonment if convicted. He awaited the jury Tuesday in the hallway with family and friends, including his wife, Bijou Phillips.

Phillips was also in court every day, and she is often accompanied by her half-sisters, Chyna Phillips and Mackenzie Phillips. The Phillips sisters’ father was John Phillips, the late lead singer of the Mamas & the Papas. Chynna’s mother is Michelle Phillipsthe band’s other lead singer, and her husband is an actor Billy Baldwinthe second youngest of the four Baldwin brothers.

Masterson’s mother, Carol MastersonHe attended every day of his trial. His younger brothers Christopher Masterson and Jordan Masterson are also often in the courthouse, as is her sister, Alanna Masterson.

Read all previous coverage of the Masterson trial here.

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