Danny Masterson has filed an appeal to overturn his 2023 conviction for two counts of forcible rape, which resulted in a 30-year prison sentence. His legal team, led by lawyer Cliff Gardner, submitted an appellant opening brief on December 18, 2024, highlighting two key issues with the case: (1) the trial involved erroneous judicial rulings that allegedly influenced the jury’s perception of the evidence, and (2) significant exculpatory evidence was not presented to the jury.
Gardner also mentioned that a Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus will follow, seeking to address additional flaws in the trial process. Masterson’s wife, Bijou Phillips, filed for divorce after his sentencing, and this contributed to the decision to deny him bail in January 2024.
