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Bruce Hines: Scientology has always protected abusers and always will

[Dark secrets in the South Tyrol]

[While we have a day off from deliberations at the Danny Masterson retrial, we have this treat to tide us over, the latest vivid narrative from Bruce Hines.]

Continue reading Bruce Hines: Scientology has always protected abusers and always will

Straight Up and Vertical: When is this jury going to deliver a result?

 
After a morning off, deliberations in the Danny Masterson retrial will resume today at 1:30 pm here in Los Angeles. The jury will then have only a little more than two hours to reach a verdict today before the court takes tomorrow off entirely.

Continue reading Straight Up and Vertical: When is this jury going to deliver a result?

Scientology salutes ‘humanitarian’ couple for donating $33.8 million to building fund

 
Just last week we showed you evidence from Scientology’s own publications that big donors are still turning over huge amounts to church leader David Miscavige’s legal slush fund, the International Association of Scientologists.

Continue reading Scientology salutes ‘humanitarian’ couple for donating $33.8 million to building fund

Scientology spying on Amy Scobee and Mat Pesch: Cameras pointed in their home

[The Ebb Tide Resort in Clearwater Beach]

 
Alanna Warren is back with even more details about what it was like to work as a private investigator for Scientology in Florida around the year 2010. Previously, she told us some details about her task of following Mike Rinder and Christie Collbran and the people who came to their house.

Continue reading Scientology spying on Amy Scobee and Mat Pesch: Cameras pointed in their home

Here’s our story about Nancy Cartwright that Scientology doesn’t want you to see

[Illustration by Chad Essley]

On Monday, we had a bit of a bombshell here at the Underground Bunker that had nothing to do with the Danny Masterson retrial, which we’ve been covering in Los Angeles since April 17.

Continue reading Here’s our story about Nancy Cartwright that Scientology doesn’t want you to see

As the jury deliberates, there’s plenty it didn’t hear about Danny Masterson

[Daily Beast illustration]

During the first Danny Masterson trial, Leah Remini joined us on the Underground Bunker podcast for a really terrific look at the case. And one of the things we talked about was how frustrated we were that the jury was not seeing some of the evidence we knew existed about Masterson.

Continue reading As the jury deliberates, there’s plenty it didn’t hear about Danny Masterson

Verdict watch: Will defense attorney Philip Cohen’s sartorial splendor be a factor?

Yesterday, our daily sartorial splendor alert indicated that defense attorney Philip Cohen had stepped up his game at the Danny Masterson retrial.

Continue reading Verdict watch: Will defense attorney Philip Cohen’s sartorial splendor be a factor?

After final rebuttal from prosecution this morning, the jury gets the case

[Defense attorney Philip Cohen, DDAs Reinhold Mueller and Ariel Anson, and Danny Masterson. Photos by @MeghannCuniff]

We’re still marveling this morning at the display put on yesterday by Deputy DA Ariel Anson as she began the government’s closing at the Danny Masterson retrial in Los Angeles.

Continue reading After final rebuttal from prosecution this morning, the jury gets the case

Closing arguments today at the Danny Masterson retrial: We’re ready for fireworks

[Is it going to be a split-squad performance by Anson and Mueller today?]

Judge Charlaine Olmedo gave both sides in the Danny Masterson retrial the day off yesterday to prepare their closing arguments as this proceeding has sped to a conclusion more quickly than the first trial last fall.

Continue reading Closing arguments today at the Danny Masterson retrial: We’re ready for fireworks

Scientology celebrates Nancy Cartwright for upping her donations to $21 million

 
The new issue of Scientology’s Impact magazine is here, and it contains a surprise!

Impact is our favorite of Scientology’s publications because it provides us with reports from the church’s celebrations of its biggest donors. (We call them “whales.”)

Continue reading Scientology celebrates Nancy Cartwright for upping her donations to $21 million