Disgraced actor Danny Masterson is seeking to overturn his rape conviction while blaming his attorney, Philip Cohen, for failing to question key witnesses during his 2023 trial. On November 17, he filed a petition for the writ of habeas corpus and has also requested a fresh trial.According to the latest legal documents reviewed by Page Six, the Men at Work star has claimed that Cohen put only two out of “more than 20 potential witnesses” on the stand while conducting his defense. Masterson is also alleging that his lawyer failed to contact all the witnesses despite their “prior statements to the police and investigators.”Philip Cohen is a criminal trial and defense attorney with a solo practice called Philip Kent Cohen, APC, in Santa Monica, California.“The jury saw only the tip of the iceberg of available defense evidence in the form of the complaining witnesses’ inconsistent statements while the wealth of directly exculpatory evidence went unused for no viable tactical reason,” the new filing states.According to Danny Masterson, his lawyer also failed to dismiss the accusations about Scientology, including that the church threatens women if they ever complain to law enforcement about their celebrity members. Not only that, but Philip Cohen allegedly did not contact any of the Scientology members to help with Masterson’s defense.Exploring the life and career of Danny Masterson’s defense attorneyPhilip Cohen was born and raised in New York. He graduated from Fordham University in 1988 and obtained a juris doctorate three years later from the University of Southern California, Gould School of Law.He began his law practice by helping the marginalised community, including writing their appeals and representing them at trials. In 2003, Cohen co-founded Murphy Rosen & Cohen LLP and oversaw the litigation firm’s criminal practice.However, he also expanded his horizons by representing clients at civil trials, including cases such as business malpractice and wrongful death suits.Five years later, Philip Cohen rose to become an equity partner and co-chair of the Los Angeles branch of Venable LLP, an international law firm headquartered in Washington, D.C. In 2009, he stepped away to relaunch his independent practice under the name Philip Kent Cohen, APC.Cohen is now one of Southern California’s premium defense and trial attorneys. In 2013, he was recognized by the National Trial Lawyers Association. Today, he has the license to practice across 30 federal and state jurisdictions in the USA.An overview of the Danny Masterson caseDanny Masterson was taken into custody in June 2020 and charged with three counts of rape that took place between 2001 and 2003. He pleaded not guilty in January 2021.Later, the jury found him guilty of two out of the three charges in May 2023. The third charge ended in a deadlock. Since then, the That ‘70s Show actor has been serving 30 years to life at the California Men’s Colony Prison.This is not the first time Danny Masterson, 49, has argued that his defense was erroneous. Last year in December, he appealed his conviction and claimed his “rights to confrontation and a fair trial” were violated in 2023 when Philip Cohen represented him.Now, in his latest filing, the Ranch actor has stated:“The unfairness of the second Masterson trial was the result of prosecutorial misconduct, judicial bias, and the failure of defense counsel to present exculpatory evidence. The jury heard only half the story — the prosecution’s side. Danny deserves a new trial where the jury can hear his side as well.”Danny Masterson has also claimed that all his sexual encounters were consensual.Before his 2023 trial, Philip Cohen replaced Shawn Holley due to scheduling issues. Now, the actor is being represented by Eric Multhaup.