On Tuesday, the prosecutor detailed 20-year old rape charges made by three women against That ’70s Show actor Danny Masterson.
The two cases were similar in many ways and each one shared distressing details of how they had been thrown into his hot tub when intoxicated. It was quite a nauseating experience according to them.
One woman alleges that he pulled her to his bed and had sex with her while she was still conscious. Another claims she woke up to him on top of her after they had already broken up.
Masterson’s attorney said that the similarities in the allegations were due to the alleged victims disregarding the detective’s request not to communicate with one another, which in turn weakened their credibility by mixing up their statements.
They were warned that “if you communicate to each other, you will contaminate this case,” as defence attorney Phillip Cohen put it in Los Angeles Superior Court. When witnesses communicate with one another and other parties involved in the case, it usually ends in disaster.
Prosecutors in Los Angeles say there are unsettling similarities between the rape allegations made by three women against “That ’70s Show” actor Danny Masterson.
There’s no way to save a case if the parties involved communicate with one another and other witnesses.
Masterson, now 46 years old, has pled not guilty to three counts of forcible rape committed between 2001 and 2003 at his Hollywood residence, which served as a social hub during his heyday.
The Church of Scientology has been a major topic in this case, with both sides arguing their relevance to the events that happened. Mueller argued it helped explain why these women waited so long before telling anyone about what had happened while others suggested they were members and knew nothing regarding any inappropriate behavior by Masterson.
After two of the claimed victims went to the church to report the incident, they were told it wasn’t rape and that if they went to the police or told anybody else, they would be discarded by their friends and family.
Mueller claimed that religion “basically becomes an adversary”. Cohen opposed each time the topic of religion was raised, claiming there were other factors at play.
Judge Charlaine F. Olmedo of the Superior Court made it clear to the attorneys that Scientology would not be a central focus of the case.
The Church has a large following in Los Angeles and been home to numerous well-known personalities. Many are expected to testify during the trial because they’re friends, family members or former colleagues that have known him since his prime years as an entertainer decades ago! Elvis’ daughter Lisa Marie Presley, will also appear before the court because she is a friend of one of the claimed victims.
Among the claimed victims, one was best friends with his assistant, another was a recent acquaintance, and the third was an actress.
The one close to his assistant went to the police when she wasn’t satisfied with how Scientology’s ethics board handled her complaint. She reconnected with one of his ex-girlfriends in 2016, who had also accused him, but this time it was different because they were both willing voices on record.
Rather than just having someone else speak up or write something down about what happened as an anonymous victim, these women felt empowered enough now that there were two independent accounts from those involved.
Everyone reported it to the police that year. According to Masterson’s ex-girlfriend, she did this after disclosing her rape experience to her husband. In 2017, three different women reported incidents to authorities.
Masterson faces up to 45 years in jail if found guilty.
Except in extreme cases where the victim is willing to come forward, the USAPeriodical does not usually identify those who claim to be victims of sexual abuse.
A prominent Hollywood icon, Masterson was one of the first to face charges during the #MeToo movement.
