Danny Mastersons Rape Retrial: Whats Different This Time Review: Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath is a compelling, if unsophisticated, investigation of church, Fathers memoir spurs Scientology leader David Miscavige to threaten lawsuit, When you make a movie about Scientology, Scientology comes to you: A walk with Louis Theroux through L. Rons hood. Scroll down for more details on Mastersons sexual assault case, trial and his ongoing civil lawsuit: Sign up for Us Weekly's free, daily newsletter and never miss breaking news or exclusive stories about your favorite celebrities, TV shows and more! The Men at Work alum has maintained his innocence since the allegations first surfaced, telling Us Weekly in a statement in December 2017, From day one, I have denied the outrageous allegations against me. It should be pointed out the alleged victims are currently suing Danny for significant financial damages, the insider said. Danny Mastersons Second Rape Trial Gets Underway: Heres One of the women had beenMastersons longtime girlfriend. Both prosecutors and church lawyers opposed the strategy to involve Scientology in the case, but a judge allowed it. Danny Masterson will not discover his fate on three counts of forcible rape until at least after Thanksgiving. A fifth woman came forward in December 2017, claiming that while she was dating the actor, he repeatedly raped her. Actor Leah Remini, a former Scientologist who has become the church's most prominent detractor on social media and through a TV series she hosted featuring dissident ex-members, sat in the front row of the courtroom in support of Mastersons accusers. About 20 or 30 minutes later, she felt very disoriented, the brief states. Expected to be in court every day, as he was in the five-week first trial, Masterson has been free on $3.3 million bail the past three years. "We are pleased that Danny Masterson will not be permitted to simply escape criminal accountability," they said. If the inclusion of date-rape drugs to the case was a new move, the role of Scientology was not, though even the way the church was introduced tpday was noticeably different. The alleged incident took place withthree women between 2001 and 2003 in his home, which functioned as a social hub when he was at the height of his fame. All three were members of the Church of Scientology, as Masterson still is. Jury selection is set to begin on March 29. Prosecutors have indicated that they might call a former church member, Claire Headley, to testify as an expert witness about Scientologys practices and policies. Did this woman die because her genitals were cut? Alex Jones ripped on late-night TV over $965M Sandy Hook verdict; Actor Danny Masterson is going back on trial on three charges of rape. The Church of Scientology works hard to keep its inner workings out of the public eye. Opening statement is a preview from the lawyers that is to be done in good faith, said Cohen earlier in the afternoon during his own opening statement in his clients rape retrial. Rinder said that in recent years, the churchs responses to media inquiries had become hermit-like. The fact that the church issued a detailed defense of its practices to The Times is a sign the Masterson case has become a significant problem for the church, he said. Mueller also told jurors that the women did not immediately go to authorities because they were told not to by officials in the Church of Scientology, and they were told what happened to them was not rape. Read about our approach to external linking. Another, a onetime friend of Mastersons who had been born into Scientology, testified thatin 2003, he had taken her upstairs from the hot tub at his Los Angeles home and raped her in his bedroom. The jury in the Danny Masterson rape trial told the judge on Friday that it could not reach a verdict. [jwplayer FlEK2LEJ-zhNYySv2] Masterson, 47, who also appeared in the Netflix comedy The Ranch, has been charged with raping three women at his home in the Hollywood Hills in the early 2000s. Danny Masterson All three Jane Does in the case are former members of Scientology. All I seek is justice and to prevent this from ever happening to anyone else as it has for some time. Danny Masterson: Mistrial declared after jurors deadlocked in Masterson's attorney, Philip Cohen, said in the defense opening statement that those hazy stories and assertions are all the prosecution has, and he told jurors, there is no drugging charge in this case.. Danny Masterson trial for rape case ends: What was he accused of? Get our latest storiesin the feed of your favorite networks. Masterson has not been charged with assaulting Kathy J. All Rights Reserved. This was normal, the Assistant D.A. Church policy explicitly demands Scientologists abide by all laws of the land.. Danny will not be accepting a plea deal, despite pressure he will get to take it. Judge declares mistrial in actor Danny Mastersons rape trial All three women are former members. Simpsons so-called Dream Team, plus legal battles for seemingly lost causes like Lindsey Lohan, the Kinsella Weitzman Iser Kump Holley LLP partner could prove a decisive factor for the defense, especially when it comes to questioning Mastersons accusers on the stand. The other two accusers, Chrissie Carnell Bixler and Bobette Riales, previously dated the star. In December 2001, she had one or two glasses of wine at a restaurant with Masterson and woke up naked in her bed the next morning, feeling that it hurt to sit down or go to the bathroom, the brief states. Two of the alleged victims in the case issued a statement saying they were disappointed Masterson has evaded criminal accountability for his deplorable acts. However, we are collectively resolved to continue our fight for justice., Alleged victim testifies: Danny Masterson accuser alleges 2003 rape, says actor choked her. According to a supplemental trial brief filed by the district attorneys office in March, prosecutors indicated that they might call to the stand an additional accuser who did not testify in the first trial, whom they identified only as Kathy J. PREVIOUSLY, 10:32 AM: This case is about the forcible rape of three women, Los Angeles Deputy District Attorney Reinhold Mueller said in his opening statement Monday in Danny Mastersons retrial on multiple rape charges. She reached for his hair to try to pull him off and attempted to push a pillow into his face, it states. Danny Masterson Rape Trial Ends in Mistrial Verdict, Sexual Not because of Mr. Mastersons celebrity status, but because of the heinous allegations by the alleged victims., The insider added: This is a high-profile case, and it needs to be airtight before any decision is made about charging Danny Masterson.. Before joining The Times in 2018, he covered city news and state politics at the Hartford Courant. A retrial is underway on charges that the actor from That 70s Show raped three women in the early 2000s. The first trial ended in a hung jury in November. The actor Danny Masterson at his arraignment on rape charges in Los Angeles Superior Court in September 2020. Pool photo by Lucy Nicholson Danny Masterson rape case declared mistrialafter jurors 'hopelessly deadlocked,' judge rules. After the lunch break, Mueller wrapped his opening statement to tell the jurors of expert witnesses who will be testifying about date-rape drug symptoms and forensic psychology, among other topics. While Laura Prepon, Topher Grace, Mila Kunis, Ashton Kutcher and Wilmer Valderrama all reprised their roles in Netflixs sequel series, Mastersons That 70s Show character, Hyde, is not part of That 90s Show. By subscribing, I agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. A source at the Los Angeles District Attorneys office exclusively told Us in February 2018 that despite the heinous sexual misconduct claims against Masterson, the DAs office was not ready to press charges. He has since pleaded not guilty after being charged in June 2020 with allegedly raping three women. 1 alleged that the actor forcibly raped her in 2002 and said that she "couldn't breathe" during the assault. Danny Masterson She has accused Masterson of sexually assaulting her in Toronto in 2000, after she met him at a party for the cast of the movie Dracula, in which Masterson had a role, according to the supplemental brief. Masterson maintained his innocence throughout the proceedings and claimed that he only had consensual sex with the women. Mastersons lawyers wrote in court documents that Kathy J.s testimony should be excluded from the retrial because the recent disclosure that she could be a witness prevents Masterson from fully investigating, preparing for and defending against her 23-year-old allegation., What to Know About Danny Mastersons Second Rape Trial, https://www.nytimes.com/2023/04/26/us/danny-masterson-rape-trial.html. Follow AP Entertainment Writer Andrew Dalton on Twitter: https://twitter.com/andyjamesdalton, A Towering, Terrifying Demon Horse Isnt Even the Weirdest Part, Man who lost wife, son in Texas mass shooting tells story, Gwyneth Paltrow won't recoup attorney fees in ski crash suit, 'Zombie' misinformation: 'Rape Day' hoax resurfaces on TikTok, 'Very homophobic': Teachers' union leader Randi Weingarten says House hearing crossed the line, Hopkintons former deputy police chief indicted on child rape charges, Portland: Bank Accounts With 7X the Average Rate, A former school resource officer at Hopkinton High has been charged with raping a student, Henry Idema: A problem for religion and society: Masculinity. Scientologys written arbitration agreements are not enforceable against members who have left the faith, with respect to claims for subsequent non-religious, tortious acts, the California Court of Appel ruled. "The contradictory nature of their trial testimony is not going to credibly change. He argued the restrictions were needed because of religious bias that investigators from the Los Angeles Police Department and Mastersons accusers harbored against Scientology. Danny Mastersons Sexual Assault Trial: Everything to Know - Us Danny Masterson You pulled it in its your fault, Mueller told the jurors about how Christina B was admonished by a church ethics officer in which she confided. Read about our approach to external linking. Most populous nation: Should India rejoice or panic? His attorney, Tom Mesereau, entered a plea of not guilty on all charges on his behalf during a court hearing. The woman was then advised to file a police report by Remini, according to Ortega. The policy explained why several of the women did not report Mastersons alleged crimes to the police for more than a decade, the judge found. Cohen told jurors that another of the women, a young actress who spent an evening alone with Masterson at his house in 2003, made no mention of drugging at the time. Based on pretrial rulings in this retrial, Scientology is certain to be a significant thrust of the prosecutions case. The case will be retried in April 2023. "And while there was disagreement as to the ultimate vote, on one thing the jurors all appeared to agree no reasonable jury was ever going to come to a unanimous finding on guilty on any count," Masterson's attorneys wrote. Its not a nice thing.. In November, a judge declared a mistrial after jurors said they were deadlocked on all three charges. Part of the a360media Entertainment Group.Powered by WordPress VIP, Please note that this form cannot be used to reset your Google, Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window). He has since pleaded not guilty after being charged in June 2020 with allegedly raping three women. Mr Masterson, who is best known for his role in the sitcom That 70s Show, was accused of raping three women at his home in Hollywood in the early 2000s. Jurors were deadlocked in debate after the weekslong trial came to a close on Nov. 30. Discovery Company. A longtime sharp and critical thorn in church leader David Miscaviges paw, Remini was served a subpoena by the defense this morning by the defense, who wanted the potential witness excluded from the proceedings. Danny Masterson appears in court on rape charges, That '70s Show star charged with raping three women, More than 20,000 Russians dead in Bakhmut, US says, France May Day protests leave dozens of police injured, Fighter jets are roaring over my home in Sudan. But Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Charlaine F. Olmedo is allowing the direct assertion at the second trial. Mastersons former girlfriend said she did so after telling her story to her husband, who helped her understand that she had been raped. Danny Masterson 1. Clara Shortridge Foltz Criminal Justice Center, Danny Masterson, With WGA Strike Looming, A Makeup Artist Asks Everyone To Remember Below-The-Line Workers Guest Column, 9-1-1 Canceled By Fox, Will Move To ABC For Season 7; 9-1-1: Lone Star Renewed For Season 5 On Fox, Roy Wood Jr. Roasts POTUS, VP Harris Scandal, Tucker Carlson & A**hole Don Lemon In Rousing WHCD Headlining Debut, Joe Biden Takes Swipes At Tucker Carlson, Don Lemon, Ron DeSantis War With Disney & Himself At WHCD; POTUS Promises To Bring Imprisoned Evan Gershkovich & Austin Tice Home, WGA & AMPTP Set More Talks For Sunday As Strike Fears Grip Hollywood; Guild & Studios Still Far Apart, Latest News, The Issues, Movies & TV Shows Affected & How Long It Might Last, Gersh Sells 45% Stake To Crestview Partners; Leslie Siebert Upped To Co-President, Are You There God? Didnt Get Its Opening-Weekend Prayers Answered: Heres Why, Sylvester Stallone Set For Cliffhanger Reboot From Director Ric Roman Waugh. Actor Danny Masterson is arraigned on three rape charges in separate incidents in 2001 and 2003, at Los Angeles Superior Court, Los Angeles, California, As in the previous They included his wife, model and actor Bijou Phillips; his sister-in-law, One Day at a Time actor Mackenzie Phillips; and his brother, Malcolm in the Middle actor Christopher Masterson. USA TODAY has reached out to Cohen for comment. ", During the hearing Tuesday, Olmedo pointed out that prosecutors only called 16 out of 36 potential witnesses and thus "a different outcome at a retrial is at least a possibility," the judge said, per Variety. Hesitant to reveal why it was a possibility the former King of Queens star would be called by the defense, new-ishly hired attorney Shawn Holley would only say Remini was a percipient witness to certain conversations a statement the judge redefined as an impeachment witness, based on elements of Reminis award-winning docuseries Scientology and the Aftermath. Credit: Amanda Schwab/Starpix/Shutterstock. I will beat her in court and look forward to it because the public will finally be able to learn the truth and see how Ive been railroaded by this woman., A litigation attorney for the Church of Scientology also reacted to the lawsuit, telling Us in a statement, From everything we have read in the press, this baseless lawsuit will go nowhere because the claims are ludicrous and a sham. 2023 BBC. Masterson is innocent, and were confident that he will be exonerated when all the evidence finally comes to light and witnesses have the opportunity to testify, his criminal defense attorney said in a statement to Us after he was charged. The District Attorneys Office declined to file charges for two of the five alleged assaults due to insufficient evidence and statute of limitations. 1, aka Jen B, and the other women including Jane Doe No. It was only after [the victim] was in contact with Leah Remini that she made allegations of sexual assault by Mr. Masterson, the rep said at the time. Less than one year later, Masterson was charged with three counts of rape in his criminal case. In 20 years on the court, I have never said that, I never would, the judge said as things came to a halt due to some tech-support issues. It was a type of public dissection that is unusual for the insular, enigmatic institution. We want a fair trial and an unbiased jury. Masterson, 47, could get 45 years in prison if convicted. According to the brief, Masterson raped her after she regained consciousness on his bed. Danny Masterson, the former star of "That '70s Show," will face a second trial on rape charges. Actor Danny Masterson drugged then raped three women at his Hollywood-area home between 2001 and 2003, a prosecutor told jurors Monday in his opening statement in the retrial of the star of That 70s Show. Deputy District Attorney Reinhold Mueller said Masterson put substances into drinks that he gave to a longtime girlfriend Although Judge Olmedo repeatedly said in the first trial that Scientology was not a defendant in the criminal case, the church, its policies and an alleged cover-up of the alleged rapes were brought up frequently by the D.A.s office today. She also pulled his hair, and he hit her, it states. Masterson was charged with three counts of rape by force or fear, LA DA Jackie Lacey announced in June 2020, three years after he was first accused of sexual assault. Jurors said they had voted seven times over the course of two dayswithout being able to reach a consensus on any of the three counts. According to Deadline, the first of Masterson's three accusers whose names are not public testified on October 19. The charges came after a three-year investigation by the Los Angeles Police Department. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. The actress took to social media this morning before the jury were in court to announce her presence and her reason for being here: I am attending opening arguments in the rape trial of celebrity Scientologist Danny Masterson today.The women who Danny raped deserve justice for what theyve been put through, not only by Danny but by Scientology which has tried to destroy them for reporting their rapes. Deadline is a part of Penske Media Corporation. Outside of the court, Masterson did not respond to a verbal request for comment. Prosecutors did not file charges in two other cases because of insufficient evidence and the statute of limitations expiring. Masterson, who has been free on bail since his 2020 arrest, sat at the defense table, with a large coterie of supporters behind him, many if not all church members, who also sat through his first trial. Victims are realizing they do have recourse, and they dont have to be afraid anymore.. Danny Mastersons rape retrial: Key things to know Los Angeles County Deputy District Attorney Reinhold Mueller told the court Tuesday that his office intends to pursue a second trial against Masterson, who is charged with three counts of rape by force or fear for allegedly sexually assaulting three women at his Hollywood Hills home in 2001 and 2003. Todays proceedings followed a week of jury selection, motions and other housekeeping. According to Variety, the jurors had leaned toward acquittal on all three counts, but Mueller argued on Tuesday that the jury had ignored supporting testimony. In a 2019 trial, lawyers for Scientology failed to shield the church from court scrutiny when defense attorneys for a man accused of beating his sister-in-law and her husband to death in Prescott, Ariz., argued that his belief in the religion drove him to commit the crime, according to a report in the Arizona Republic. Even before todays proceedings formally kicked off, there was some high Scientology drama in Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Charlaine Olmedos courtroom. As they are expected to do this time round, the Cohen-led defense tried to varying degrees of failure to do everything they could to limit mention of the church. The trial brief says that Masterson raped a second woman, identified only as Christina B., who had been in a relationship with him and had lived with him for six years. A judge rejected Mastersons request for a variety of subpoenas in August 2021 after his legal team asked for information related to Reminis anti-Scientologist TV show, in addition to anything about church leader David Miscavige and his wife, Shelly. L.A. has a new answer. A veteran of O.J. The first trial ended in a hung jury in November. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. However, this time it was the actors ex-girlfriend Christina B as opposed to Jen B, who was called on October 18 in the previous trial. Two of the women involved in the case alleged that the Church of Scientology, to which they and Mr Masterson belonged, had discouraged them from reporting the alleged rapes. Masterson could face up to 45 years to a life sentence in state prison if convicted. I have never been charged with a crime, let alone convicted of one.. The LAPDs investigation was prompted by multiple police reports and journalist Tony Ortegas report of three womens alleged accounts of rape, sodomy or sexual assault, which he posted on his blog, The Underground Bunker. After a jury failed to reach a verdict last year regarding rape charges against Danny Masterson, the actors retrial began on Monday. The weekslong trial featured graphic testimony from the three women Masterson was charged with raping and a fourth woman who also accused him of sexual assault, as well as extensive discussion about the Church of Scientology. Reinhold Mueller] referred to in good faith that I want to talk to about, he added, allegedly going off script to take a series of jabs at the Los Angeles District Attorneys office. The third woman went to police in 2017. The office of the Los Angeles County District Attorney said it was considering its next steps in the case. "Our office has decided to retry this case," Mueller told the courtroom, according to Variety. Get up to speed with our Essential California newsletter, sent six days a week.