Lisa Marie Presley dies at 54 after apparent cardiac arrest

TMZ broke the news earlier today that Lisa Marie Presley was rushed to hospital after what appears to be a cardiac arrest. Now, this evening, it is being reported that she has died. She was 54.

We were hoping to hear news that she had pulled through. The singer, daughter of Elvis and Priscilla Presley, was seen just Tuesday night at the Golden Globe Awards awards with her mother as they were there to see Austin Butler take home a statue for portraying Elvis.

Lisa Marie was a frequent presence in our pages because of her rather epic journey out of Scientology in 2014, and then the dramatic way she made news during the Danny Masterson trial in November.

While we wait for more news about her condition, we will briefly summarize those stories and direct you to where you can get the full narratives.

Priscilla Presley was lured into Scientology after the death of Elvis in 1977. They were no longer married, but she was still deeply affected by his death and it made her vulnerable to an appeal by John Travolta, according to Travolta’s former Scientology handler, Spanky Taylor.

Priscilla then raised Lisa Marie in Scientology, but then beginning in 2012 we noticed that she was beginning to drop some pretty obvious hints in her lyrics that she was souring on the group. That became even more clear with the release of her album Storm & Grace that year.

That was also the year that Ron Miscavige, father of Scientology leader David Miscavige, made his clever escape from the secretive Scientology headquarters known as Int Base near Hemet, California. A couple of years later, in 2014, Ron attempted to visit his two daughters in Florida, but he was turned away. They had been instructed by their brother David to cut their father out of their lives.

Ron told us this incensed Lisa Marie, with whom he was very close, and she attempted to have showdown over it with Miscavige at Scientology’s “spiritual mecca” in Clearwater, Florida. Rather than show up himself, Miscavige sent his two sisters to hurl abuse at Lisa Marie about their father. Ron told us Lisa Marie then went back to her hotel and announced to the others with her that she was now no longer a Scientologist. Read our full story about this here.

For good measure, she then made sure a hugely critical news story about Miscavige landed in the pages of the Los Angeles Times in 2015.

After that, Lisa Marie got caught up in a years-long and brutal legal battle with her ex-husband, musician Michael Lockwood, and there were reports that she was having more struggles with substance abuse.

Ron told us before he died in 2021 that Lisa Marie had stopped communicating with him.

This year, there was another bombshell involving Lisa Marie and Scientology. During the Danny Masterson trial, prosecutors informed the court that they had asked her to testify because she had been a close friend with Jane Doe 1.

Jane Doe 1 testified that she had been raped by Masterson in 2003, and that she was considering defying Scientology policy and reporting the incident to the police.

Lisa Marie was being asked to testify that Scientology had asked her to dissuade Jane Doe 1 from going to the police.

Deputy DA Reinhold Mueller told the court that Lisa Marie’s attorney had said that if they asked her about that on the stand, he would advise her to take the Fifth Amendment — because it also implicated Lisa Marie in a crime, and not just Scientology. Mueller said he granted her immunity to testify.

But Judge Olmedo ruled that such testimony was more about Scientology than about Danny Masterson and so it didn’t belong in a criminal trial. The prosecutors then chose not to call Lisa Marie at all.

Here’s how we called it that afternoon at the courthouse.

We are very sorry to hear that Lisa Marie has passed away.

Technology Cocktail

“When the Queen asked me to tip my cap and leave England as an insidious and Communist influence intensely disrupting the very best plans of the Home Secretary, I might have gone straight back to America. However, the Founding Church of Scientology in Washington, D.C. has never been in better shape. With His Nibs as Executive Administrator the situation is under good control…I have a habit of turning up where I am needed or turning up data when it is needed, and as England is not yet in perfect shape there at Notting Hill Gate and as enough British brass has interceded on my behalf to permit me on occasion to pop into London, it seemed to me that I had better spend my time setting up an emergency station for Scientology in a country that wasn’t likely to get atom bombed. So here I am in Dublin, Eire, ten days and one completed office in operation deep.” — L. Ron Hubbard, 1956

 
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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

“Orgs are in the very new, for this universe, business of setting people free. SPs will find all manner of reasons not to, for this is what they, with their own crimes, fear. Thus it follows that they cut dissem lines, corrupt tech, suppress and confuse orgs, persuade people to be inactive and resort to other shifts, all quite ‘reasonable’ and ‘logical’ as to why this must be the way it is; so be alert to this and go ahead and set people free. It’s done with org services well delivered, on-policy, with standard tech. So just do it, man, do it!” — L. Ron Hubbard, January 13, 1983

 
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Avast, Ye Mateys

“Starboard Watch is assigned Non-Existence for slowness in coming to Fire Drill on 9 Jan 69 and treating it as a joke. The F/MAA is to discover who in Starboard considers drills a joke and throw the joker or jokers overboard, which is a very big joke in this cool weather and cold water.” — The Commodore, January 13, 1969

 
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Overheard in the FreeZone

“Money is what guarantees your survival. With money you can buy a congressman, bribe judges, hire a hitman. Just because a government is run by criminals is no reason to walk away. Ethics needs to be put in. A government that was in ethics and did what was optimum across 8 dynamics would benefit everyone.”

 
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Past is Prologue

1999: Plans were announced this week for John Travolta’s film project Battlefield Earth, based on the book by L. Ron Hubbard. From the Toronto Sun: “‘There are so many things I wish, but I really believe in the joy of life. We are here to enjoy life. And I wish that on people. I want to encourage it and inspire it.’ Earning $20-million-per-movie paycheques assists in his quest to inspire and encourage. So does, he maintains, Scientology. He’s been an often-publicized member of the organization since the ’70s. So, talk about coincidence. Another wish might come true. He might be able do what he’s wanted to do since he became a Scientologist. That is make a movie version of Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard’s 1982 novel, Battlefield Earth. Travolta has yearned to play the alien ruler of Battlefield Earth. The project could cost more than $60 million. And some insiders say that studios are anxious about the Scientology connection, and the prospect of having their very recognizable star dressed as an unrecognizable alien.”

 
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Random Howdy

“I’m still waiting for someone to do the obvious KFC shoop with the KSW and L Ron as the Colonel. Preferably on a bucket.”

 
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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.

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] Masterson’s victims, already on edge, have to deal with Danny’s aggressive process servers
[TWO years ago] More social media gold: Post-riot, it’s clear that Scientology is the planet’s only hope!
[THREE years ago] Scientology auditing, infiltrated and explained: The ‘Reckless Ben’ team’s 4th video
[FOUR years ago] How businesses that run on Scientology principles find Scientologist employees
[FIVE years ago] Ten years ago, all hell broke loose for Tom Cruise and the Church of Scientology
[SIX years ago] DONE DEAL: Billboard contract signed for site near Scientology’s Los Angeles ‘Big Blue’ HQ
[SEVEN years ago] DOX: Government disclosure shows extent of Scientology’s reliance on cheap foreign labor
[EIGHT years ago] What Howard Stern should have asked Kirstie Alley about Scientology
[NINE years ago] VIDEO: Scientology’s New Year’s Eve celebration — ‘2014 belongs to us’
[TEN years ago] Did the Headleys And Their Lawsuit Torpedo the FBI Investigation of Scientology?
[ELEVEN years ago] How Scientology Spied on Tom Cruise

 
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Posted by Tony Ortega on January 13, 2023 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