The iconic frontman of The Mars Volta, Cedric Bixler-Zavala, has spoken out in response to the guilty verdict handed to Danny Masterson, former star of That ’70s Show. Masterson was convicted of two out of three counts of rape in a Los Angeles retrial on May 31.
Bixler-Zavala is a former member of the Church of Scientology, which he left in 2017. His wife, Chrissie Carnell-Bixler, testified against Masterson in 2022, and filed a separate civil lawsuit against him. According to the lawsuit, Carnell-Bixler’s relationship with Masterson spanned several years, during which she was reportedly sexually assaulted multiple times between 2001 and 2002.
Masterson denied the accusations in a statement, saying, “I’m not going to fight my ex-girlfriend in the media like she’s been baiting me to do for more than two years. I will beat her in court – and look forward to it because the public will finally be able [to] learn the truth and see how I’ve been railroaded by this woman.”
The judge ruled that the case must go through religious arbitration within the Church of Scientology, as Carnell-Bixler had signed an agreement as a Church member that required disputes to be handled by the Church and not the courts.
Following the guilty verdict on two counts of rape, Bixler-Zavala posted (and later deleted) an Instagram post where he said he was “making a list of all Danny’s helpers and rape apologists” and criticized the Church of Scientology. “We fucking told you. God bless the women that stood up to him and his shitty fucking family. Fuck Scientology. Rot in jail Danny,” he wrote. “God bless my wife. True fucking warrior. May peace reign over my family. To everyone who spoke up and helped, thank you.”
The Bixlers allege that the Church began a relentless campaign of harassment and threats against them following the initial report against Masterson. This reportedly included poisoning their dogs and stalking them. Bixler-Zavala told the LA Times that the Church made his partner feel responsible for the actions made against her, and that his family still lives in fear of the Church.
No sentencing date has been set for Masterson yet, but he and his lawyers will return to court on August 4 for a hearing. He could face up to 30 years in prison.
The verdict has been met with mixed reactions from Masterson’s former co-stars. Ashton Kutcher, who worked with him on That ’70s Show, said he hoped the accusations were false, as Masterson had been a huge mentor for him throughout his career.
For help, advice or more information regarding sexual harassment, assault and rape, people in the UK can visit the Rape Crisis charity website, and those in the US can visit RAINN.
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