Fri Nov 22 08:00:00 UTC 2024: ## Masterson’s Legal Team Accused of Juror Harassment After Rape Conviction
**Los Angeles, CA – November 20, 2024** – Prosecutors are seeking a hearing to investigate allegations that Danny Masterson’s legal team made unwanted contact with jurors in his recent rape trial. Multiple jurors reported being contacted at their homes and workplaces by members of the defense team, prompting Los Angeles County Deputy District Attorney Reinhold Mueller to file a motion requesting sanctions for what he described as “unwanted, harassing or otherwise improper conduct.”
The issue came to light after Judge Charlaine Olmedo, who presided over Masterson’s trial, received complaints from several jurors. One juror described a visit from a woman claiming to be part of Masterson’s habeas team who sought information about events outside the courtroom. Another email detailed a July contact, with jurors expressing concern that their sealed information had been compromised. Judge Olmedo noted in a letter that some jurors felt pressured and troubled by the home visits.
Masterson’s habeas lawyer, Eric Multhaup, countered in a recent filing, asserting that contact with jurors post-verdict is permitted to investigate potential juror misconduct and that the September 15th contact was entirely appropriate. He described the encounter as “innocuous and benign.” Trial lawyer Shawn Holley also stated that she contacted three jurors in July 2023, with their consent, and that those interactions were entirely appropriate.
However, the prosecutors contend that the reported contacts were neither wanted nor made at an appropriate time or place, and that the actions by Masterson’s legal team warrant investigation and potential sanctions. The judge has not yet ruled on the request for a hearing. Masterson, convicted on two counts of forcible rape and sentenced to 30 years to life, remains incarcerated while his appeal proceeds.
First Piper 