Ashton Kutcher and his wife Mila Kunis have resigned from the board of the anti-child sexual abuse organization Thorn, which he founded. The departure comes after the couple were heavily criticized for defending actor Danny Masterson, who was found guilty of rape.
Ashton and Mila both wrote glowing references to Masterson during his trial in May for raping two women in 2013.
Last week, Masterson was sentenced to an indeterminate term of 30 years to life in prison, meaning he will be eligible for parole after serving 25-and-a-half years, but could is kept in prison forever.
In the letters made public, Kutcher describes his friend as a man of "kindness, equality and generosity," while Kunis considers him "an outstanding role model and friend" and "an incredible big brother figure."
They issued a public apology and said they are sorry for the pain they have caused the victims. In his resignation letter, Ashton Kutcher stated that he "cannot allow my lapse in judgment to distract from our efforts and the children we serve."
