Church of Scientology accessed tranche of criminal discovery material in rape retrial of actor Danny Masterson, including emails between police and his accusers, DA says
- Masterson, a Scientologist, is accused of raping three women in the early ’00s
- Evidence has been obtained by the Church even though it is not party to the case
- The material includes text messages, police reports and photos, the DA said
The Church of Scientology obtained a swathe of criminal discovery material relating to the rape trial of Danny Masterson, including emails between police and ‘victims’, a court has heard.
Masterson, the former star of That ’70s Show and a Scientologist himself, is accused of raping three women between 2001 and 2003.
One victim has claimed the actor drugged, choked, and raped her after throwing her in the Jacuzzi at his Hollywood Hills home.
But the Deputy District Attorney Reinhold Mueller told the trial judge on Wednesday that a tranche of criminal discovery material has ended up in the hands of The Church of Scientology, even though it is not a party in the case.
Mueller said that on May 2 his office was sent an email by Church attorney Vicki Podberesky titled ‘False reports of stalking by the Church of Scientology’.
Former star of That ’70s Show Danny Masterson arrives at the Los Angeles Superior Courthouse on Friday with wife and fellow actor Bijou Phillips
The DA’s office said The Church of Scientology, of which Masterson is a member, obtained a tranche of criminal discovery material relating to the case, despite not being party to it
The DA’s office became aware of the leak after it received an email from one of the Church’s attorneys, Vicki Podberesky (above), that inadvertently contained a link to the files
But along with the email, there were links to files.
‘In the attachments, I don’t want to say all of our discovery, but a large amount of our discovery was attached to these files,’ Mueller said.
‘Emails between law enforcement and victims. Text messages. Police reports. Photos. We weren’t able to get through all the attachments, but it’s extremely troubling that all of our redacted discovery we turned over to the defense is now in the hands of Scientology.’
Judge Olmedo asked Masterson’s defense attorney, Phillip Cohen, if he had been ‘sharing discovery with the Church of Scientology’, which he denied, The Underground Bunker reported.
Olmedo issued ‘an order to show cause’, but said this would have to wait until after the trial.
The proceedings in Los Angeles are part a retrial of Masterson’s rape charges after a deadlocked jury led to a mistrial last year.
Earlier this month, a woman identified in court as Jane Doe 1 said she was drugged and raped by Masterson at his LA home in April 2003.
She said she told the Church of Scientology, whose leader is David Miscavige, about the alleged rape, but was punished for reporting it.
The woman claimed she was told by the Church that if she went to the police she’d be declared a ‘suppressive person’ – and that she was forced to undertake therapy to understand how she had caused the rape.
Masterson is accused of raping three women between 2001 and 2003 at his Hollywood home
Danny Masterson played wise-cracking Steven Hyde, fourth from left, on That ’70s Show from 1998 to 2006
David Miscavige, 63m has been leader of the Church of Scientology since 1987
On cross-examination, the defense showed the jury bikini photos of Jane Doe 1 taken five days after the alleged rape and asked them if she could have been in pain if she was smiling on a family holiday.
Masterson has pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Scientology is not a party to the case, but its attorneys have been present in the courtroom.
Jane Doe 1 told the jury that Podberesky had ‘stared’ at her during her testimony.
‘She represents the Church of Scientology and David Miscavige and every witness that we needed to testify,’ she said.
Attorneys with Podberesky’s law firm and another firm representing Scientology in the civil lawsuit, were present for nearly every day of the first trial.
The case continues and is expected to go to the jury next week.
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