PODCAST: Looking back at the third week of testimony in the Danny Masterson trial

The third week of testimony at the Danny Masterson trial in Los Angeles was a short one, but it still had its surprises.

Jane Doe 2 was the third of the three women who allege that they were raped by Masterson, and her testimony was some of the most brutal in the trial. She was followed by a couple of corroborating witnesses — her former friend, actress Jordan Ladd, and her mother. Also this week we heard from a sexual assault trauma expert, Dr. Mindy Mechanic, and Mariah O’Brien, another Jane Doe 2 support witness.

We summed up yesterday’s testimony from the expert, O’Brien, and LAPD Detective Javier Vargas in our end-of-day video, which then went out to subscribers. We’re releasing the video below for everyone.

And once again, with the week done, we sat down with Jeffrey Augustine, who has also been in court with us, to go over some highlights of the last few days.

Substack won’t let us embed the podcast here, but it went out on email this morning, and you can go to it directly with this link.

As always, we’re looking forward to seeing your thoughts on the trial as well. So please give us some of your thoughts about moments in testimony, or coverage of the case, or anything else that struck you this week.

 
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Technology Cocktail

“The processes of Black Dianetics can be remedied by what might be called White Dianetics, in most cases. If any group desired to use the phenomena discovered in Dianetics to enslave an individual, a group, or a nation, its first step would be to place White Dianetics out of bounds, to illegalize its practice, and to condemn the tenets contained in it. To debar the general public practice of White Dianetics is to make possible a general unpublic practice of Black Dianetics.” — L. Ron Hubbard, 1952

 
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THE PROSECUTION OF DANNY MASTERSON

We first broke the news of the LAPD’s investigation of Scientology celebrity Danny Masterson on rape allegations in 2017, and we’ve been covering the story every step of the way since then. At this page we’ve collected our most important links as trial begins and Danny faces a potential sentence of 45 years to life in prison.

 
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THE PODCAST: How many have you heard?

— The Underground Bunker Podcast

[1] Marc Headley [2] Claire Headley [3] Jeffrey Augustine [4] Bruce Hines [5] Sunny Pereira [6] Pete Griffiths [7] Geoff Levin [8] Patty Moher [9] Marc Headley [10] Jefferson Hawkins [11] Michelle ‘Emma’ Ryan [12] Paulette Cooper [13] Jesse Prince [14] Mark Bunker [15] Jon Atack [16] Mirriam Francis [17] Bruce Hines on MSH

— SPECIAL: The best TV show on Scientology you never got to see

[1] Phil Jones [2] Derek Bloch [3] Carol Nyburg [4] Katrina Reyes [5] Jamie DeWolf

— SPECIAL: Your Proprietor’s updates on the Danny Masterson trial

[1] Sep 21 [2] Sep 28 [3] Oct 4 [4] Oct 10 [5] Oct 11: Day One [6] Oct 12: Day Two [7] Oct 13: Day Three [8] Oct 17: Day Four [9] Oct 18: Day Five [10] Oct 19: Day Six [11] Special interview with Chris Shelton, Oct 19 [12] Oct 20: Day Seven [13] Oct 21: Day Eight [14] First week in review, with Jeffrey Augustine [15] Oct 24: Day Nine [16] Oct 25: Day Ten [17] Oct 27: Day Eleven [18] Oct 28: Day Twelve [19] Second week in review, with Jeffrey Augustine [20] Halloween special [21] Nov 2: Day Thirteen

— The Underground Bunker Podcast on YouTube

[1] Marc Headley [2] Claire Headley [3] Jeffrey Augustine [4] Bruce Hines [5] Sunny Pereira [6] Pete Griffiths [7] Geoff Levin [8] Patty Moher [9] Marc Headley [10] Jefferson Hawkins [11] Michelle ‘Emma’ Ryan [12] Paulette Cooper [13] Jesse Prince [14] Mark Bunker [15] Jon Atack

 
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Jon Atack and Mike Rinder

 
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Source Code

“Just this morning I am in correspondence with the Atomic Energy Commission on some material and have been for the last year and a half. We have some answers in mathematics in which they’re very interested, and so forth…If a man is burned today, he’s going to suffer because of it. There isn’t much going to interrupt the course of that fission burn except Scientology…Atomic radiation isn’t actually too hard to handle on an alleviation basis — on an assist basis — if your boy is not in too bad condition, if preclear is not too bad condition.” — L. Ron Hubbard, November 5, 1956

 
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Avast, Ye Mateys

“No need to get too excited about ‘la grippe.’ It is about a 36 hour malady if correctly treated with Kemacetin. Kemicetin (or any anti-biotic) is given to get the temperature sub-normal and kept sub-normal until the temperature can’t be depressed any longer. Then the person is well. M.D.s don’t know this. It’s the secret of using anti-biotics. YOGHERT must be given for several days to anyone who has been on oral anti-biotics. It restores the natural colonic bacteria. This is killed (along with bad germs) by oral anti-biotics and must be restored. I think the consul’s cancellation of the big-wig reception and the ‘reporter’ made people a bit PTS. It’s unusual for Scns to get ill unless they’re PTS.” — The Commodore, November 5, 1969

 
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Overheard in the FreeZone

“What is so remarkable about Ron is he treated us as ‘adults,’ as the thetans we really are. He didn’t treat us as victims. He gave us the straight poop. It was like ‘hey, here is some incredible stuff and if you want to really go free this is how you do it.’ And one big way is to take responsibility for your own actions. Then you have some who started on that path, but because they didn’t step up to higher responsibility levels, or more accurately didn’t use tech to really come clean, are like little kids blaming Ron. And then you dig further and find out they have major crimes! Real criminals. And boy, these guys are the biggest ‘victims’ on the planet!”

 
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Past is Prologue

1999: Bob Minton announced the formation of the Lisa McPherson Trust this week. “The Lisa McPherson Trust is a direct outgrowth of several very significant events relating to Lisa’s death: A) the fateful call by Fanny McPherson to an attorney by the name of Ken Dandar who was and is both courageous enough and pure enough to withstand the assaults of scientology; B) the internet awareness campaign started by Jeff Jacobsen which helped bring the tragic death of Lisa McPherson to national attention; C) the death-bed request by Fanny McPherson to Ken Dandar that she wanted Ken to let the world know what scientology did to Lisa; and D) the continued courage of Lisa’s remaining family led by Dell Liebreich to make scientology accountable for Lisa’s tragic death.”

 
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Random Howdy

“Goodnight everyone and get your rest because tomorrow we travel further up the McSavage River into the Heart Of Darkness.”

 
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Full Court Press: What we’re watching at the Underground Bunker

Criminal prosecutions:
— Danny Masterson charged for raping three women: Trial began October 11 in Los Angeles.
— ‘Lafayette Ronald Hubbard’ (a/k/a Justin Craig), aggravated assault, plus drug charges: Grand jury indictments include charges from an assault while in custody. Arraigned on August 29.
— Jay and Jeff Spina, Medicare fraud: Jay sentenced to 9 years in prison. Jeff scheduled to be sentenced on Oct 28.
— Rizza Islam, Medi-Cal fraud: Trial scheduled for March 1 in Los Angeles
— David Gentile, GPB Capital, fraud: Next pretrial conference set for September 19.
— Yanti Mike Greene, Scientology private eye accused of contempt of court: Found guilty of criminal and civil contempt.

Civil litigation:
— Baxter, Baxter, and Paris v. Scientology, alleging labor trafficking: Complaint filed April 28 in Tampa federal court, Scientology moving to compel arbitration. Plaintiffs filed amended complaint on August 2. Hearing scheduled November 17 to argue the arbitration motions.
— Valerie Haney v. Scientology: Forced to ‘religious arbitration.’ Selection of arbitrators underway. Next court hearing: February 2, 2023.
— Chrissie Bixler et al. v. Scientology and Danny Masterson: Appellate court removes requirement of arbitration on January 19, case remanded back to Superior Court. Stay in place at least through December 13.
— Brian Statler Sr v. City of Inglewood: Case settled ahead of scheduled Dec 6 trial.
— Author Steve Cannane defamation trial: New trial ordered after appeals court overturned prior ruling.
— Chiropractors Steve Peyroux and Brent Detelich, stem cell fraud: Lawsuit filed by the FTC and state of Georgia in August, now in discovery phase.

 
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SCIENTOLOGY: FAIR GAME

After the success of their double-Emmy-winning, three-season A&E series ‘Scientology and the Aftermath,’ Leah Remini and Mike Rinder continue the conversation on their podcast, ‘Scientology: Fair Game.’ We’ve created a landing page where you can hear all of the episodes so far.

LEAH REMINI: SCIENTOLOGY AND THE AFTERMATH

An episode-by-episode guide to Leah Remini’s three-season, double-Emmy winning series that changed everything for Scientology watching. Originally aired from 2016 to 2019 on the A&E network, and now on Netflix.

SCIENTOLOGY’S CELEBRITIES, from A to Z

Find your favorite Hubbardite celeb at this index page — or suggest someone to add to the list!

 
Other links: SCIENTOLOGY BLACK OPS: Tom Cruise and dirty tricks. Scientology’s Ideal Orgs, from one end of the planet to the other. Scientology’s sneaky front groups, spreading the good news about L. Ron Hubbard while pretending to benefit society. Scientology Lit: Books reviewed or excerpted in a weekly series. How many have you read?

 
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THE WHOLE TRACK

[ONE year ago] Finally, a (mostly) full and accurate transcript from one of Scientology’s darkest days
[TWO years ago] The Top 25 People Enabling Scientology, No. 9: The San Bernardino Sheriff’s Office
[THREE years ago] AUDIO LEAK: You’re invited to a Scientology TV watch party at the Portland org!
[FOUR years ago] Jada Pinkett Smith reconciles with Leah Remini and puts herself in Scientology’s crosshairs
[FIVE years ago] Shakeup at Narconon Arrowhead: Former worker dishes fresh intel on Scientology’s rehab flagship
[SIX years ago] An enduring myth in Scientology — that L. Ron Hubbard actually read your letters
[SEVEN years ago] Hey, Miscavige, quit calling Leah Remini names and produce your wife already
[EIGHT years ago] Ken Dandar files another court appeal to get out of Scientology’s million-dollar noose
[NINE years ago] Luis Garcia Responds: We Don’t Trust Scientology’s Trustee Ploy
[TEN years ago] Dianetics Read Aloud: Let Ron’s Wisdom Wash Over You
[ELEVEN years ago] Scientology Dyspepsia: Commenters of the Week!

 
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Posted by Tony Ortega on November 5, 2022 at 09:00

E-mail tips to tonyo94 AT gmail DOT com or follow us on Twitter. We also post updates at our Facebook author page. After every new story we send out an alert to our e-mail list and our FB page.

Our new book with Paulette Cooper, Battlefield Scientology: Exposing L. Ron Hubbard’s dangerous ‘religion’ is now on sale at Amazon in paperback and Kindle formats. Our book about Paulette, The Unbreakable Miss Lovely: How the Church of Scientology tried to destroy Paulette Cooper, is on sale at Amazon in paperback, Kindle, and audiobook versions. We’ve posted photographs of Paulette and scenes from her life at a separate location. Reader Sookie put together a complete index. More information can also be found at the book’s dedicated page.

The Best of the Underground Bunker, 1995-2021 Just starting out here? We’ve picked out the most important stories we’ve covered here at the Underground Bunker (2012-2021), The Village Voice (2008-2012), New Times Los Angeles (1999-2002) and the Phoenix New Times (1995-1999)

Other links: BLOGGING DIANETICS: Reading Scientology’s founding text cover to cover | UP THE BRIDGE: Claire Headley and Bruce Hines train us as Scientologists | GETTING OUR ETHICS IN: Jefferson Hawkins explains Scientology’s system of justice | SCIENTOLOGY MYTHBUSTING: Historian Jon Atack discusses key Scientology concepts | Shelly Miscavige, 15 years gone | The Lisa McPherson story told in real time | The Cathriona White stories | The Leah Remini ‘Knowledge Reports’ | Hear audio of a Scientology excommunication | Scientology’s little day care of horrors | Whatever happened to Steve Fishman? | Felony charges for Scientology’s drug rehab scam | Why Scientology digs bomb-proof vaults in the desert | PZ Myers reads L. Ron Hubbard’s “A History of Man” | Scientology’s Master Spies | The mystery of the richest Scientologist and his wayward sons | Scientology’s shocking mistreatment of the mentally ill | The Underground Bunker’s Official Theme Song | The Underground Bunker FAQ

Watch our short videos that explain Scientology’s controversies in three minutes or less…

Check your whale level at our dedicated page for status updates, or join us at the Underground Bunker’s Facebook discussion group for more frivolity.

Our non-Scientology stories: Robert Burnham Jr., the man who inscribed the universe | Notorious alt-right inspiration Kevin MacDonald and his theories about Jewish DNA | The selling of the “Phoenix Lights” | Astronomer Harlow Shapley‘s FBI file | Sex, spies, and local TV news | Battling Babe-Hounds: Ross Jeffries v. R. Don Steele

 

Tony Ortega at The Daily Beast