Lisa Marie Presley will not be taking the stand in Danny Masterson’s rape trial.
Deputy District Attorney Reinhold Mueller told LA Superior Court Judge Charlaine Olmedo and the defense this morning that the prosecution had decided not to call Presley after all.
Though set on the witness list for weeks, the scope of the testimony of the former prominent Scientologist was severely limited yesterday by Judge Olmedo. Not allowed to speak on potential obstruction of justice by the Church of Scientology in the alleged sexual assault of Jane Doe #1 by the That ‘70s Show actor in 2003, Presley’s stint on the stand would have been limited to what she knew or did not know about the rape claims directly from friend Jane Doe #1. Testimony that clearly wasn’t worth it to the D.A.
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Having fought consistently to keep almost any reference to Scientology out of the trial, Masterson’s defense argued high profile Presley allegations are not “relevant here” and “too vague to be helpful.”
It is alleged that Presley was asked by church officials to persuade Jane Doe #1/Jen B not to report the assault to the police. However, in an interview with the D.A.’s office last week, Presley now says she cannot accurately recall if Scientology asked her to “smooth things over.” In fact, at one point several months ago, attorneys for Presley indicated to prosecutors that their client may take the fifth on the whole matter.
Exiting Scientology almost a decade ago, Presley supposedly contacted Jane Doe #1 in 2014 to say sorry for not being more supportive of her and her claims against fellow Scientologist Masterson almost 20 years ago. That apology would not be allowed to be revealed to the jury under Judge Olmedo’s ruling if Presley had taken the stand
Facing 45 years to life if found guilty on the three counts of forcible rape, Masterson was arrested in June 2020 by the LAPD. Initially reported to the cops in 2004, the alleged assaults to the trio of former Scientologist victims took place in the actor’s Hollywood Hills home between 2001 and 2003. Fired from Netflix’s comedy The Ranch in late 2017 as the rape claims became known, Masterson has always insisted the sex was consensual.
Also facing a paused civil trial in which Scientology is a co-defendant, Masterson has been free on $3.3 million bail in the criminal case since his arrest.
On November 8, Judge Olmedo suggested that Presley’s testimony might be better suited for the harassment and intimidation case. Now set to start up again in mid-December once Masterson’s criminal trial is expected to be concluded, the civil case saw Scientology unsuccessful last month in getting the Supreme Court to intervene in the matter.
Penciled in to be over by November 18, the criminal trial will hear from Jane Doe #4, a non-Scientologist who says Masterson raped her in 1996. Additionally, further testimony from LAPD detectives and Jane Doe #1’s mother is expected today in the ninth-floor courtroom of the Clara Shortridge Foltz Criminal Justice Center.
The Masterson trial will go dark on November 11 for the Veterans Day holiday.
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