It was not a great week for the famous/infamous Church of Scientology as their reputation is once more dragged because of a court case with Lisa Marie Presley‘s testimony and interviews tied to it.
Court documents obtained by The Daily Mail revealed that Lisa Marie Presley had been interviewed for her role in Danny Masterson‘s rape scandal.
The actor and Scientologist has been accused of raping three women in a Hollywood Hills home between 2001 and 2003. Danny Masterson, of That ’70s Show‘s fame, was arrested in 2020 and released on bail.
He is facing 45 years up to life in prison if the jury finds him guilty on the three counts of forcible rape.
According to Deputy District Attorney Reinhold Mueller, the controversial church asked Lisa Marie Presley, a former Scientologist, to convince one of the rape victims not to report the incident to the police.
The victim, known as Jane Doe 1, said that Lisa Marie Presley was a friend and a fellow Scientologist.
Note that Presley exited the church almost a decade ago, but unlike Leah Remini, she has remained silent about her involvement.
The woman told the court that Masterson had sexually assaulted her in 2002 and raped her in 2003. Masterson’s rape accuser is also suing the Church of Scientology for “harassing and intimidating her.”
Elvis Presley and Priscilla Presley‘s daughter confirmed to the Deputy District Attorney and the police that she did indeed contact the rape victim and tried to calm her down.
Presley also confessed to attempting to persuade her to let the heads of the Church of Scientology deal with the situation.
Reinhold Mueller revealed during the trial via The Daily Mail: “Presley has told police that a few months after April 2003, she was contacted by the Church of Scientology because she was friends with (Jane Doe 1) and asked to make contact with Jane Doe 1 and calm things down because Jane Doe 1 at that time was threatening to go to the authorities (to report Masterson) and the church wanted it dealt with in-house.”
Lisa Marie Presley confirmed that after talking to Jane Doe 1, she reported back to the Church of Scientology.
Presley also revealed to police officers that years later, she contacted the victim and sincerely apologized to her “for attempting to quiet her.”
Last week, Lisa Marie Presley, who has since hired a lawyer, was again interviewed by the police.
According to the media outlet, “Lisa Marie Presley said, “I do not recall” when she was asked if the Church of Scientology had asked her to “smooth things over,” and also revealed that “something had happened that was out of her comfort zone.”
Mueller told LA Superior Court Judge Charlaine Olmedo that “the testimony Presley will give is entirely relevant for the jury to hear.”
However, Masterson’s attorney, Karen Goldstein, fought back by claiming that “Presley’s statements deal with obstruction of justice, and Masterson is not on trial for that here.”
Judge Olmedo decided to allow Presley to testify before the jury because” her testimony is relevant but only as it relates to Jane Doe 1’s decision-making process about going to authorities or not.”
Nevertheless, Mueller has decided not to call Presley. Masterson has always insisted that he is not a rapist and the sex was consensual.
He has also fought to keep any reference to the Church of Scientology out of the rape trial and lawsuits.
