EXCLUSIVE: The Danny Masterson jury foreman speaks in first public interview

On November 30, the jury in the Danny Masterson rape trial in Los Angeles informed Judge Charlaine Olmedo that it was hopelessly deadlocked.

She brought the jury into the courtroom and quizzed the man who turned out to be the foreman, a tall older Black man, who informed her that after numerous votes over several days, the numbers were not budging.

Judge Olmedo then declared a mistrial, and asked the foreman for the vote counts. They were as follows:

Count 1 (Jane Doe 1) 2 for guilty, 10 for not guilty

Count 2 (Jane Doe 2) 4 for guilty, 8 for not guilty

Count 3 (Jane Doe 3) 5 for guilty, 7 for not guilty

Several days later, the foreman’s daughter reached out to podcaster and former Scientology Sea Org officer Chris Shelton, saying that she was a fan of his work. (It turned out she was also an Underground Bunker reader.) She offered to put him in touch with her father, who might be interested in an interview.

Chris not only set up an interview, but invited us to participate as well.

Once the interview began, we were able to positively identify the foreman, who told us his name is Earl. (He gave us permission to use his first name in the interview.)

We then began asking him about the weeks of testimony in the trial and the six days the jury spent in deliberation — three days before the Thanksgiving week, and then three more days after having two jury members replaced after the vacation week. (Earl was a member of the original 12 jurors seated.)

Earl said that in each case some of the jurors had problems with inconsistencies in the testimony of the three women that arose from statements they had given police in past years, inconsistencies that were highlighted by defense attorney Philip Cohen.

When we asked him about some of the things that were rumored about the jury — that it had been influenced by Cohen’s wardrobe, or the large showing by the Masterson family, or by things said by witnesses in the court hallway — he dismissed all of those suggestions. The jury had simply looked at the evidence, and were divided over the differences that Cohen had brought up in cross-examination, he said.

Also, he said that the jury had mostly disregarded Scientology’s influence on the case, as well as the length of time that had passed since the incidents. He also said the jury did not spend much time on the testimony by the prosecution’s expert on sexual assault.

In general, he said, the prosecution could have done a better job presenting material and setting up testimony.

We’re interested in your thoughts about Earl’s perspective on the case. He made suggestions for how the prosecution could present material in a retrial, and we’d like to hear your thoughts on that as well.

 
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Technology Cocktail

“Be advised that as of this writing of August, 1953, six short easily learned processes exist which, separately or in combination, markedly and simply alter and improve a case. They solve those problems encountered in Dianetics as well as in Scientology. These processes are unlimited. They are not difficult to do. They work fast and they require no more time to learn than it would take to instruct a preclear. When I step back and look at them I am a little shocked at myself for not developing them 25 years ago instead of this year, and I am more than a little shocked that Man, in 3,500 or 4,500 years of written history, could have remained ignorant of them.” — L. Ron Hubbard, 1953

 
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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 Danny faces a potential sentence of 45 years to life in prison. NOW WITH TRIAL INDEX.

 
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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 [22] Nov 3: Day Fourteen [23] Nov 4: Day Fifteen [24] Third week in review [25] Nov 5, Saturday special [26] Nov 6, Sunday special [27] Nov 7, Day Sixteen [28] Lisa Marie Presley breaking news [29] Nov 8, Day Seventeen [30] Nov 9, Day Eighteen [31] Nov 10, Day Nineteen

 
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Source Code

“One of the more fiendish tests that I conducted on this was on my own kid, I wouldn’t have done it to somebody else’s kid. I pretended to scatter an enormous amount of pepper into the palm of my hand and then pretended to eat it with some relish. I didn’t scatter any pepper at all on my hand. Hand it to my little girl, she promptly threw some pepper into the palm of her hand and ate it with considerable relish. And for some days was busy enjoying pepper in great quantity.” — L. Ron Hubbard, December 8, 1954

 
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Avast, Ye Mateys

“PROGRESS: We are continuing to make progress against the enemy who has shot at us and the planet for 18 years. The code name he now has is ‘SMERSH’ (from 007 fame) and his branch of offices are ‘Black Hats.’ He is oddly enough on both sides of existing political parties except in SA where he is mainly UP. This was a hidden government. It aspired to world domination! If you can imagine a psychiatrist in such a role. Wonder what it would be like to be governed by shock cases. Red as paint, he was really having a ball. We were in his road. Because we were fully effective. We undid his implants. A real psychotherapy had come along. This was not part of his plans. He shot at Scn to discredit it. It is quite obvious that western governments are fantastically weak and very unaware. They cannot or will not protect their people or their institutions. Thus, only one course is left open. To get rid of SMERSH and their thousands of kills weekly. Oddly enough, we’re doing just that. The one BIG mistake they made was to attack Scientologists. Which they did from hiding for 18 long years. It set us back, kept our field upset, our staffs enturbulated. But it also made us get tough and grow strong. SMERSH was the hidden government. Long may it fall.” — The Commodore, December 8, 1968

 
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Overheard in the FreeZone

“I was born this lifetime in 1957. So whatever I may say about the early days of Dianetics and Scientology is generally from my last lifetime, where I was more or less in the thick of things. I did know LRH, and I did attend some, but not all of his lectures. He and I were not ‘pals,’ but I had enough contact with him to be able to size up his character. This lifetime, I ‘returned’ to Scientology in 1976, at the tender age of 19.”

 
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Past is Prologue

1997: In a USA Today interview, Scientology celebrity Kirstie Alley discussed Scientology and psychiatrists. “‘I’m a Scientologist all the way!’ Alley says. ‘I don’t like it when a journalist writes something like ‘the controversial Church of Scientology’ in an article about me. I didn’t say that; they said that. So they’ve tainted it. If I’d known they were going to say that, I wouldn’t have even talked to them. It’s like me saying, ‘the controversial Jew who interviewed me today.’ What Jewish controversy was there?’ Alley had a more emotional motive for appearing as Woody Allen’s jilted psychiatrist wife in Deconstructing Harry. ‘I don’t like psychiatry,’ Alley says. ‘And I don’t believe it works. And I believe psychiatrists are neurotic or psychotic, for the most part. I wanted to play her that way, and Woody just totally let me do it. I said, ‘I want to be taking Prozac or drugs during the session with her patient.’ I wanted to show that this woman is so twerked out that she has to take drugs, too. She takes her own medicine. So he said, ‘Yeah! That’s a good idea.'”

 
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Random Howdy

“On more than one occasion I have met someone and after a few minutes of casual conversation I have been forced to ask myself whether this person is the sort of fellow who is going to attempt to run off with my wife and my car or if he’s the kind of guy that’s going to try and run off with my girlfriend and my boat. Thanks to L. Ron Hubbard I have knowingness of scamingness.”

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

Criminal prosecutions:
— Danny Masterson charged for raping three women: Mistrial declared November 30. Status conference scheduled January 10, retrial scheduled March 27.
— ‘Lafayette Ronald Hubbard’ (a/k/a Justin Craig), aggravated assault, plus drug charges: Grand jury indictments include charges from an assault while in custody. Plea deadline scheduled for December 16.

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 November 17 to argue the arbitration motions, awaiting ruling.
— 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 February 7.
— 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] Irish courts issued 14,000 words on Narconon rehab: Not a single one was ‘Scientology’
[TWO years ago] Scientology social media: Gearing up for R6, or what you humans call ‘Christmas’
[THREE years ago] Scientology’s biggest donors of late 2019: The whales giving millions to David Miscavige
[FOUR years ago] Academic goes ‘Among the Scientologists’ to bring back what we already knew
[FIVE years ago] A grim anniversary that should remind us Scientology has no business ‘testing’ anyone
[SIX years ago] Leah Remini told you about Scientology’s ‘Fair Game’ — and here’s the worst example of it
[SEVEN years ago] Leaked Scientology video: Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes front and center for ‘psych busting’!
[EIGHT years ago] SUNDANCE BOUND: HBO’s film about Scientology will debut in Utah on January 25
[NINE years ago] Sunday Funnies: Scientology Gets Ideal in Taiwan
[TEN years ago] Scientology and Past Lives: Was L. Ron Hubbard Actually Serious?
[ELEVEN years ago] Tom Cruise Denies Paying for Indian Extras to Cheer Him, And More Thursday Scientology Stats!

 
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Posted by Tony Ortega on December 8, 2022 at 07:00

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