It’s been more than four years since Danny Masterson’s rape victims sued the star of That ’70s Show and the Church of Scientology for harassment and intimidation.
And on Tuesday, a Los Angeles judge ruled that they will have to wait at least two more years for their day in court.
Judge Upinder Kalra of the LA Supreme Court lifted a stay on the civil case that had been ongoing since its filing in August 2019, pending the outcome of the Scientologist actor’s criminal rape trial, which ended with two convictions and a prison sentence of 30 years to life earlier this month.
But the judge scheduled the trial for September 22, 2025, noting that resolving Masterson’s appeal of his criminal convictions and sentencing could take “easily three years.”
And a packed court hearing calendar, combined with an expected large amount of evidence to be collected by the legal teams of the four women and the defendants, are the main reasons why the civil case will not go to trial for at least the next two years.
An LA judge ruled that (right-wing) rape victims Danny Masterson will have to wait at least two more years for their civil case after Masterson was sentenced to 30 years to life in prison
Two of the women named in the lawsuit were Masterson’s ex-girlfriends — Chrissie Bixler and Bobette Riales — who alleged the 47-year-old convicted rapist drugged, raped and sexually assaulted them
LA Supreme Court Judge Upinder Kalra (pictured) scheduled trial for the civil case for September 22, 2025, saying resolving Masterson’s appeal and sentence could take “up to three years easily.”
The jury could not reach a verdict on Carnell-Bixler (photo), the ex-girlfriend of Masterson and Jane Doe #3 in the criminal case
The civil lawsuit against the 47-year-old convicted rapist was filed by four women who allege he drugged, raped and sexually assaulted them.
The lawsuit also names the Church of Scientology and its leader David Miscavige as defendants. The women claim they were stalked in a “conspiracy to cover up the fact that Daniel Masterson sexually assaulted four young women.”
Two of the women named in the lawsuit were Masterson’s ex-girlfriends – Chrissie Bixler and Bobette Riales – while the other two are listed as Jane Does #1 and #2. Masterson was convicted of raping Jane Doe’s No. 1 and No. 2, but the jury could not reach a verdict on Bixler, who was Jane Doe No. 3 in the criminal case, and he was not charged in connection with Riales.
The civil lawsuit states that “when these women came forward to report Masterson’s crimes, the defendants conspired and systematically stalked, harassed, invaded their and their families’ privacy, and deliberately inflicted emotional distress on them to silence them and to intimidate.’
In granting the request of lawyers for the four women to lift the stay on the civil case “in order to allow this case to proceed,” Judge Kalra rejected the arguments of lawyers for Masterson and the Church of Scientology for the stay to continue.
Masterson’s defense team argued that the civil case should be postponed at least until his criminal appeal is resolved.
His lawyers also said that because there was a hung jury on the charges involving Bixler in both jury trials he faced, prosecutors could retry him on that count — so testifying in the civil case would violate his Fifth Amendment right not to incriminate oneself in danger. a possible new process.
Attorneys for the Church of Scientology — which vehemently denies that Masterson’s victims are harassed or stalked — argued that the church has filed complaints with LA police against the four women “for filing false police reports against church defendants.”
And they insisted the stay would continue until the LAPD investigation into these so-called false reports is completed.
In her report to police, Bixler said that after she came forward with her rape allegations against Masterson, her dog mysteriously died.
An autopsy revealed that the dog “died of unexplained traumatic injuries to her trachea and esophagus.”
Bixler claimed she was run off the road by a car following her.
Bixler also accused one of Masterson’s friends of threatening to release nude photos she took when she was a minor.
Masterson, 47, was convicted of raping two women in 2003 and sentenced last week to the maximum option of 30 years in prison. He is pictured in 2003
DailyMail.com reveals Danny Masterson and his wife Bijou Phillips had been living apart for five years, according to divorce papers she filed
Danny Masterson and his wife Bijou Phillips arrive for closing arguments in his second trial, on May 16, 2023
Masterson blew his wife a kiss in court as he was sentenced to 30 years behind bars, seen in a court sketch
Riales claimed that after she went to the police to report Masterson for rape, she experienced threats to silence her, including being followed, watched, and having her trash stolen.
She told of a neighbor who saw a man in her driveway taking pictures and chased him away, but added that her 13-year-old child’s bedroom window had been smashed.
Jane Doe #1 said that after she reported Masterson to the LAPD, the Church of Scientology “mobilized” against her.
Jane Doe #2 claimed that her phone and computer were hacked, her car was vandalized, and she was harassed on social media.
And she said she “rarely left the house” in the two years after reporting her assault to police.”
In a statement to DailyMail.com, the Church of Scientology called the lawsuit “baseless” and the claims “ridiculous and a sham.”
“It is a dishonest and hallucinatory publicity stunt,” the church said.