Danny Masterson rape case: Prosecutors dealt a blow after the death of star witness Lisa Marie Presley
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Danny Masterson's rape case prosecutors awaiting to bring back the rape case against the actor after he walked free after the case fell apart in 2022. Masterson now faces a blow following the death of star witness Lisa Marie Presley. At the age of 54, the singer died on Thursday, January 12 at a Los Angeles hospital house, after she suffered a 'full cardiac arrest' at her Calabasas home hours before she was shifted to the facility.
According to the prosecutors, between 2001 and 2003, the 46-year-old 'That '70s Show' actor raped three women, all former Scientologists. The abuse took place in his Hollywood Hills home and his legal team claimed that all the acts were consensual. The prosecution named the late singer who was a former Scientologist as one of the star witnesses of the case. However, she was ultimately not called to testify in front of the judge after Judge Charlaine Olmedo limited the scope of Presley's potential testimony, according to Daily Mail.
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A mistrial of Masterson's case was declared by the jury in November 2022. A plan for a second trial against the actor was announced by the prosecutors just two days before the death of Presley. The prosecutors of the case stated to the jury during the trial that the heiress was told by the Church of Scientology to persuade the accusers not to report Masterson to the investigators.
However, Presley's testimony was called "irrelevant" by the actor's legal team. Among Masterson's defense was Tom Mesereau, who was also the defense for Michael Jackson, the ex-husband of Presley, in his 2005 trial over child abuse.
The request to exclude evidence from Presley who left Scientology in 2014 was denied by Judge Olmedo but said that she would restrict herself what she can state to only what she knows about Jane Doe 1, the alleged victim's claim of rape if she testifies and has asked her not to make in-depth statements on Scientology.
The testimony from the late singer was centered on Jane Doe 1, her one-time friend who said that she was sexually assaulted by Masterson in September 2002, and he raped her in April 2003. Guitarist Michael Lockwood, the ex-husband of Presley has previously performed with singer Bijou Philips, wife of Masterson. Later, the prosecution decided to not call Presley to testify at the trial.
After the mistrial was declared, Philip Cohen, Masterson's attorney stated that during the trial, Scientology was mentioned 700 times and called it to be an excuse for the failure of the prosecutors to develop a strong case against the actor who had a long history with the Church of Scientology.