Ashton Kutcher Steps Down as Chairman of Thorn Following Controversial Support for Co-Star Danny Masterson
Ashton Kutcher has resigned as chairman of Thorn, the nonprofit organization he co-founded to combat child sexual abuse, after facing backlash for advocating leniency in the sentencing of his former “That ’70s Show” co-star, Danny Masterson. Masterson was recently convicted of rape and sentenced to 30 years to life in prison.
Kutcher and his wife, Mila Kunis, received criticism for writing letters to the judge involved in Masterson’s case, requesting a more lenient sentence. The couple’s support for Masterson sparked a firestorm of controversy, leading them to address the issue in a video posted on Instagram.
In his resignation letter addressed to Thorn’s board and shared on the organization’s website, Kutcher stated, “I have determined the responsible thing for me to do is resign as chairman of the board, effectively immediately. I cannot allow my error in judgment to distract from our efforts and the children we serve.”
Masterson, 47, was found guilty of raping two women in the early 2000s. The judge sentenced him to the maximum penalty of 30 years to life in prison. However, he may be eligible for parole in 20 years, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office.
Kutcher acknowledged the historical silencing of abuse victims in his resignation letter, saying, “Victims of sexual abuse have been historically silenced, and the character statement I submitted is yet another painful instance of questioning victims who are brave enough to share their experiences. This is precisely what we have all worked to reverse over the last decade.”
Thorn, co-founded by Kutcher and actress Demi Moore in 2009, has developed technological solutions to identify child sex abuse victims online.
Representatives for Kutcher and Kunis were unavailable for comment, and Thorn has not responded to requests for a statement.
In a statement posted on Thorn’s website, the organization expressed gratitude for Kutcher’s contributions over the last 15 years and acknowledged his significant role in their impact.
The public outcry against Kutcher and Kunis began when their letters to the judge in Masterson’s case were published by journalists covering the trial. The letters detailed the couple’s relationship with Masterson.
Kutcher’s letter to the judge emphasized that he did not believe Masterson “is an ongoing harm to society,” and expressed concern about Masterson’s daughter growing up without her father. Kunis vouched for Masterson’s character in her own letter, highlighting his positive influence on her and those around him.
In their Instagram video, Kutcher and Kunis explained that they were asked by Masterson’s family to write the letters “to represent the person that we knew for 25 years so that the judge could take that into full consideration relative to the sentencing.”
Despite their intentions, the letters faced severe backlash for potentially undermining the victims’ testimony and causing further trauma.
In his resignation letter, Kutcher expressed remorse to sexual violence victims and Thorn’s members for any harm caused by his actions.
The controversy surrounding Kutcher and Kunis highlights the delicate nature of supporting individuals accused of heinous crimes, particularly when it conflicts with advocacy efforts against sexual abuse.