Scientology Responds to Accusers’ Lawsuit with Denials and Countersuit
In court filings obtained, the Church of Scientology argued that the civil lawsuit omits ‘critical facts demonstrating that their claims are meritless’.
The case, initially filed in 2019 by four victims who claimed they were harassed and intimidated after reporting Danny Masterson for rape, has taken a new turn.
In its response, the church claimed that some of the accusers had no ‘independent corroborative evidence’ or could prove they ‘reasonably feared’ for their safety.
Church of Scientology Launches Counterattack
The Church of Scientology has launched a massive counterattack against a lawsuit brought by Danny Masterson’s four accusers, who claimed they were stalked, harassed, and threatened by the church after coming forward with their allegations.
In a barrage of new filings at Los Angeles Superior Court, the church’s legal team vehemently denied the accusations, calling them ‘meritless’ and ‘blatantly false’.
This counteroffensive comes after a month when the stay on the civil case was lifted at the urging of the accusers’ lawyers.
The case had been on hold since its initial filing in August 2019, waiting for the outcome of Danny Masterson’s criminal rape trial, which recently resulted in convictions and a significant prison sentence.
Accusers and Their Claims
The civil lawsuit against Danny Masterson, which also names the Church of Scientology and its leader, David Miscavige, was brought by four women.
Two of the women were Masterson’s ex-girlfriends, while the other two were listed as Jane Does 1 and 2.
Masterson was charged with raping three women but was convicted of raping Jane Does 1 and 2 in the criminal case.
The jury could not reach a verdict on Jane Doe 3, who was revealed to be one of the ex-girlfriends.
According to the civil lawsuit, when these women came forward to report Masterson’s crimes, the defendants allegedly conspired to stalk, harass, invade their privacy, and intentionally cause them emotional distress to silence and intimidate them.
Scientology’s Defense
Scientology’s lawyers opposed lifting the stay on the case and launched an aggressive counteroffensive against the four women.
They argued that many allegations involved acts of free speech and that the accusations omitted critical facts demonstrating the meritlessness of the claims.
Scientology also challenged the contention that ex-Scientologists waited years to report Masterson for rape out of fear of retribution, stating that Church doctrine does not prohibit reporting crimes.
The attorneys maintained that none of the named people accused of making threats was an ‘agent’ of the Church, nor had they ever worked for the Church.
They also denied the existence of a ‘fair game’ doctrine within the Scientology religion.
Allegations and Evidence
Scientology’s legal team argued that some of the accusers had no ‘independent corroborative evidence’ or could prove that they ‘reasonably feared’ for their safety.
They also stated that Scientology teachings are protected by a constitutional right to free speech.
Accusers’ Claims of Harassment and Intimidation
All four women in the lawsuit maintain that after they reported Masterson to law enforcement, they became victims of a harassment and intimidation campaign orchestrated by the Church.
Their claims include threats, stalking, damage to property, and harassment on social media.
The next hearing in the case is scheduled for November 22.
In this ongoing legal battle, the Church of Scientology is vehemently defending itself against the accusations brought by Danny Masterson’s accusers, setting the stage for a complex and contentious legal process.
Share on Facebook «||» Share on Twitter «||» Share on Reddit «||» Share on LinkedIn