Here’s the court order demanding Danny Masterson’s attorneys attend leak hearing

Naturally, the events that transpired on Wednesday afternoon in Judge Charlaine Olmedo’s courtroom have captured the world’s attention, as Danny Masterson was convicted and remanded to custody.

But what happened earlier that morning in court was also very important to us, and we’ve been trying to get a little more information on it.

We’re talking, of course, about the evidentiary hearing that was scheduled that morning, to determine how a trove of the prosecution’s evidence which it had shared with Masterson’s defense team ended up in the hands of an attorney for the Church of Scientology.

Defense attorney Philip Cohen told Judge Olmedo that he wasn’t sharing evidence with Scientology, and his co-counsel, Shawn Holley, seemed to point the finger to their predecessors, the legal team of Tom Mesereau and Sharon Appelbaum.

So we found it very interesting when we saw that Mesereau and Appelbaum were in court Wednesday morning, and each of them had legal representation with them.

You know when attorneys show up with attorneys, something serious is going down.

Alas, the matter was put back a week, until June 7, and we’re sticking around in Los Angeles for it. But in the meantime, we were curious about what had compelled Mesereau and Appelbaum to show up that morning. (Appelbaum and her attorney indicated that they had come up all the way from San Diego.)

Well, we now have a copy of the court order that in fact did demand the presence of those attorneys, and we thought you’d want to see it. Here’s what the court issued on May 19…

 
There are some interesting details here. Right off the bat, for example, we learn that this hearing may be about the “possible imposition of monetary sanctions.”

Oh, you don’t say!

The second line orders the attorneys for the two parties to appear (Deputy DAs Reinhold Mueller and Ariel Anson, and for the defense Philip Cohen and Shawn Holley), as well as defense attorneys who were previously part of Masterson’s team: Karen Goldstein from the first trial, and Tom Mesereau and Sharon Appelbaum, who handled the May 2021 preliminary hearing.

Notified, but not ordered to appear, are Scientology’s attorney Vicki Podberesky and Dominick Cognata, who is a “Marsy’s Law” attorney for one of the Jane Doe victims.

It’s disappointing that Podberesky is not ordered to appear, but apparently Judge Olmedo is focused more on who gave up the discovery materials, and not so much on who received them.

And among the recipients of copies of the order listed at the end is Edith R. Matthai, who was there Wednesday morning with Mesereau. We’re told that Ms. Matthai is a rather legendary figure around the courthouse for representing other attorneys when they get in a spot of trouble.

Well, isn’t that interesting. Now we know how Judge Olmedo assembled such a fascinating group of lawyers Wednesday morning, and will again on this coming Wednesday.

We are really looking forward to find out what they have to say about how such sensitive evidence ended up in the hands of Scientology, which was not a party to the criminal trial.

And speaking of that, you may have already seen Scientology’s rather amazing whine about the trial, which it issued Wednesday afternoon.

Although this screed does not carry a signature, we can tell you that this has church leader David Miscavige’s petulant style written all over it.

 
You’ll notice that the words “Danny Masterson” do not appear. And Judge Charlaine Olmedo is only referred to as “the Court” and “her.”

Oh, David Miscavige is hopping mad. And about what? That repeatedly, Scientology’s own ethics codes were cited accurately in the trial, revealing that Scientologists are indoctrinated that they cannot go to “civil authorities” (i.e., police) when it comes to other Scientologists, and that they must submit any criminal complaints to the church itself. Also, that the Jane Does were punished for being victims, and were subjected to sadistic “handlings” by a church that protects its “upstat” members and celebrities.

Through spokeswoman Karin Pouw, Miscavige repeatedly denied that the “Introduction to Ethics” book says what it says, but we have eyes, Dave.

From the screechy nature of this letter, you might get the idea that Miscavige is actually worried about something.

 
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Technology Cocktail

“An understanding of valences gives us a new look at processes. In the first place a valence is a beingness. Bad, crazy or superb, a valence is still a beingness. A thetan has a basic personality. But if this is too thoroughly invalidated, a thetan assumes some invented valence. And if this is invalidated he then eventually completes the DEI Scale on Beingness.” — L. Ron Hubbard, 1958

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?

[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

— The first Danny Masterson trial and beyond

[18] Trial special with Chris Shelton [19] Trial week one [20] Marc Headley on the spy in the hallway [21] Trial week two [22] Trial week three [23] Trial week four [24] Leah Remini on LAPD Corruption [25] Mike Rinder 2022 Thanksgiving Special [26] Jane Doe 4 (Tricia Vessey), Part One [27] Jane Doe 4 (Tricia Vessey), Part Two [28] Claire Headley on the trial [29] Tory Christman [30] Bruce Hines on spying [31] Karen de la Carriere [32] Ron Miscavige on Shelly Miscavige [33] Karen de la Carriere on the L’s [34] Mark Bunker on Miscavige hiding [35] Mark Plummer [36] Mark Ebner [37] Karen Pressley [38] Steve Cannane [39] Fredrick Brennan [40] Clarissa Adams [41] Louise Shekter [42] John Sweeney

 
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Source Code

“Every time you throw a book in the mails, you see, why there was so much effort coming back toward one, and it’s neglected. Similarly, let’s say, the colored gentleman who has a good, high-paid job: sticking his head through a canvas and letting people throw baseballs at him. I think that’s a well-honored profession of one time or another in carnivals and so on. All right. So here he has these baseballs coming in at him all the time. The visible picture, you see, is made of everything, but his attention goes on the incoming baseball. Yeah, but as this baseball is coming in, actually there is a contrary reaction that he pays no attention to, because he’s interested in the baseball. He’s not interested in that contrary reaction. He wishes there were more of it, if anything, you see, to slow that baseball down. And the next thing you know, he will have too many baseballs thrown at him. Now, he’s actually the — it isn’t the injuries of the baseballs or anything; it’s just the fact that he’s built up a ridge in front of his face that consists of not the incoming baseball, but the resistance going back against the baseball. You got the idea? Well, it’s the resistance back against that baseball that sticks there, not the baseballs. So he has too many baseballs thrown at him and all of a sudden gets a horrible feeling of pushing out that way.” — L. Ron Hubbard, June 2, 1961

 
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Avast, Ye Mateys

“Hey, how about completing TRs. One on the course is trying for a world’s record on TR 0. How about reading the HCOB and doing it? There is only one way off the course and that’s through it. 80 percent of one Class Xs pcs are on this course. For sure we want no Execs out there who can’t pass Zero. So….” — The Commodore, June 2, 1971

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Overheard in the FreeZone

“Most Scientologists have been indoctrinated until the cows come home about how DANGEROUS communication is for those who haven’t had auditing. One can kill a preclear with too much communication without a LONG gradient. Most Scientologists are keyouts only, they know the next level of terror, horror, sorrow and monstrosity is hiding right there around the corner. Anyhow, the safe solution is silence, then no one can point the finger at them for ‘ruining a preclears case.’ Most Scientologists I knew were terrified of communicating about anything regardless of their ‘height’ on the bridge. And remember a Grade 0 still doesn’t even know about entities or demonic infestation. So how grade 0 is that? ‘What, you are an entity? How dare you post to my Facebook page, you might freak out my friends and me too!’”

 
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Past is Prologue

1999: Keith Henson reported that he lost the appeal of Scientology’s judgment against him. Scientology was awarded $75,000 for copyright violation when Keith posted the secret NOTS 34 level. “Just got word from the 9th after almost three months. Flat lost.”

Random Howdy

“In the cosmology of L. Ron Hubbard your children aren’t really ‘your’ children. Instead they are just non-corporeal immortal alien beings who popped into the genetic entity inhabiting the womb of the bigger thetan who proceeds to plop it out. They would have these little thetans signing billion-year contracts with their little footprints if they could.”

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

Criminal prosecutions:
— Danny Masterson charged for raping three women: Found guilty on two counts on May 31, remanded to custody.
— ‘Lafayette Ronald Hubbard’ (a/k/a Justin Craig), aggravated assault, plus drug charges: Grand jury indictments include charges from an assault while in custody. Trial scheduled for August 15.
— Rizza Islam, Medi-Cal fraud: Trial scheduled for June 26 in Los Angeles
— David Gentile, GPB Capital, fraud.

Civil litigation:
— Baxter, Baxter, and Paris v. Scientology, alleging labor trafficking: Forced to arbitration. Plaintiffs asking permission for interlocutory appeal.
— Valerie Haney v. Scientology: Forced to ‘religious arbitration.’
— 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 June 28.
— 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] Le Monde & Vanity Fair: FBI probes Russian oligarch financing of ‘Top Gun: Maverick’
[TWO years ago] Scientology hype video celebrating its pandemic response is the bomb
[THREE years ago] Steve Cannane took Scientology’s line, says unrepentant ‘Deep Sleep’ doctor
[FOUR years ago] Having conquered QR codes, Scientology goes all in on WhatsApp
[FIVE years ago] Janis Gillham Grady on Scientology jail: ‘LRH had been like a father to me. So much betrayal!’
[SIX years ago] Scientologist’s lawsuit against Jim Carrey over Cat White’s suicide survives dismissal
[SEVEN years ago] Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard’s tall tales about himself never get old
[EIGHT years ago] Scientology, six degrees of separation, and Miss Lovely — author Paulette Cooper
[NINE years ago] Ryan Hamilton files lawsuit number eleven against Scientology’s drug rehab network
[TEN years ago] Scientology Sunday Funnies: What Did David Miscavige Tell the Troops Last Night?
[TWELVE years ago] Ex-Scientology Actor Attacks Ex-Scientology Plaintiff in TMZ Story Clearly Not Planted by Scientology

 
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Posted by Tony Ortega on June 2, 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, 1995-2022 Just starting out here? We’ve picked out the most important stories we’ve covered here at the Underground Bunker (2012-2022), 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

 

Tony Ortega at Rolling Stone