A four-day preliminary hearing at the Los Angeles County Superior Court last week focused as much on rape charges against actor Danny Masterson as on the practices of the Church.
James Queally and Matthew Ormseth11:14, May 29 2021
The Church of Scientology works hard to keep its inner workings out of the public eye. It has hired private detectives to keep tabs on straying members, and experts say its lawyers vigorously defend against legal incursions, arguing to judges that Scientology s beliefs are not courtroom fodder. But at a hearing last week in the rape case against US actor Danny Masterson, church officials were unable to stop their practices from being debated in open court. Three women took the stand to recount violent sexual assaults allegedly committed by the celebrity Scientologist, and each told similar stories of how church officials tried to stop them from reporting Masterson to police.
Scientology s secrets spill into open in Danny Masterson rape case timesunion.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from timesunion.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Christine B. chose to be identified by her real first name in court and has spoken publicly about the assault before. The Associated Press does not typically name people who say they were victims of sexual abuse.
During cross-examination, Mesereau said that she was telling a different story than she had in her interviews with police and prosecutors.
“You never said he was having sex with you, did you, you said he was trying to, correct? Mesereau asked.
The defense then played a tape of an interview with a police detective with Christine B. saying “correct” when the detective asked if Masterson was trying to have sex with her, then played recording of an interview with Mueller where she said Masterson was “putting himself inside me.”