Emily Armstrong is walking back her previous support. The recently-announced lead singer of Linkin Park addressed her prior support of Danny Masterson during the preliminary hearings ahead of the That 70s Show alum’s 2020 rape trial. “Hi, I’m Emily,” she wrote on social media Sept.
6, per Billboard . “I’m new to so many of you, and I wanted to clear the air about something that happened a while back. Several years ago, I was asked to support someone I considered a friend at a court appearance, and went to one early hearing as an observer.
Soon after, I realized I shouldn’t have.” She continued, “I always try to see the good in people, and I misjudged him. I have never spoken with him since.
Unimaginable details emerged and he was later found guilty. To say it as clearly as possible: I do not condone abuse or violence against women, and I empathize with the victims of these crimes.” Armstrong’s explanation comes after Linkin Park, which went on hiatus when lead singer Chester Benington died in 2017, announced it would be returning with a new vocalist.
Upon learning it was Armstrong who would be touring with the group, many online spoke out. Chief among the critics was Mars Volta singer Cedric Bixler-Zavala and his wife Chrissie Carnell-Bixler , the latter of whom has self-identified as one of the women to accuse Masterson of sexual assault. Bixler-Zavala recirculated screenshots of comments he wrote on Armstrong’s former band Dead Sara ’s Instagram pa.