Warning: This story contains graphic details of alleged rape.
Opening statements inDanny Masterson’ssexual assault trialbegan on Tuesday following the completion of jury selection.
Masterson was charged in 2020 with forcibly raping three women in separate incidents between 2001 and 2003. Hepleaded not guiltyto all three charges in January 2021, and a Los Angeles judge ordered him last yearto stand trial. All of the alleged crimes occurred at Masterson’s home, prosecutors say, andall three accusers took the standto detail their allegations last May in a preliminary hearing.
If Masterson is found guilty, he could face a maximum sentence of 45 years to life in state prison.
On Tuesday, Deputy District Attorney Reinhold Mueller took the podium to begin a two-hour and 15-minute opening statement, in which he detailed the accusations from three women who alleged Masterson had sex with them without their consent.
Danny Masterson.Lalo Yasky/Getty
For more on this story, listen below to our daily podcast PEOPLE Every Day.
Masterson had a lot of support in court as he listened calmly with his hands folded in his lap. Seated behind him were two rows of family, including his two brothers, Christopher and Jordan, mom Carol, sister Alanna and wife Bijou Phillips. Actor and close friend Chris Wadhams was also there for support.
Mueller began detailing the accusations, starting with J.B., who allegedly had two separate incidents with Masterson in September 2002 and April 2003.
Mueller said J.B. was 28 when the first incident occurred. She was planning to spend the night at a friend’s house, but the friend got into an argument so J.B. ended up hanging out with Masterson, who was a mutual friend of theirs, per Mueller.
While out, Mueller said J.B. had one or two grapefruit juice and vodka drinks and became intoxicated. She then went to Masterson’s house, where she planned to sleep in the guest room, but Masterson allegedly “pulled her up the stairs to the master bedroom.” Though she laughed it off at first, Mueller said she was feeling fuzzy and they had sex.
Mueller alleged that it “quickly turned into a situation where the defendant had flipped her over and penetrated her anally.” J.B. attempted to fight back, but injured her back in the process, per Mueller. She told a few friends at the time, including Lisa Marie Presley (who is expected to testify), and Mueller claimed that the jury “will also hear testimony about a possible pregnancy and miscarriage related to that incident.”
Splash
Though no charges were filed for that particular incident, Mueller claimed Masterson raped her again nine months later, which is the incident he’s now being charged in connection with.
During the second alleged incident on April 24, 2003, Mueller said J.B. and Masterson were out celebrating a friend’s birthday, and J.B. ended up staying at Masterson’s home after losing the keys to her friend’s place where she was planning to stay, according to Mueller.
This time, Mueller claimed Masterson served J.B. a red fruity drink with vodka. “This was the first drink she’d had all evening,” Mueller said. “She drank less than half and became very disoriented.”
“Things got worse,” Mueller added, claiming that J.B. couldn’t stand, was struggling to breathe, couldn’t keep her eyes open and was nauseous. Masterson allegedly told J.B. he was going to take her upstairs and put his finger down her throat to make her vomit, Mueller said.
After they went into the bathroom, Mueller said J.B. got sick in the toilet and Masterson allegedly told her, “You’re disgusting. You vomited everywhere.” Masterson then put her into the shower, where J.B. allegedly passed out and woke up to him stroking her breasts, Mueller said.
Later, Masterson took her to his bedroom, where J.B. allegedly woke up to his “full weight on her” and was penetrating her vaginally, Mueller said. J.B. claimed she used a pillow to try and push him off but Masterson allegedly used that pillow to smother her, Mueller said. He added that, “She passed out from that pillow while he was still penetrating her.”
J.B. also claimed he took out a gun and threatened her not to move or tell anyone about the incident, Mueller said. Though J.B. didn’t initially tell anyone, she went to tell a Master-at-Arms (an ethics officer in Scientology) two days later after friends and family noticed bruises on her body.
“His response was, ‘If you’re going to tell me this is rape, it wasn’t rape. You’re not supposed to use that word. You’re not allowed to go to the police,'” Mueller quoted J.B. as claiming. “‘Doing so would be considered a high crime. And if you commit a high crime, you could be declared a Suppressive Person. What that means is that all of the other people in the church have to detach from you and you are essentially an enemy of the church.”
In April 2004, J.B. eventually went to the Hollywood police station to report the alleged rape.
Danny Masterson.Lucy Nicholson/Reuters Pool/Splash News Online
Mueller said about a year into C.B.’s relationship with Masterson, things began to change and theThat ’70s Showactor allegedly became “more controlling” with C.B. and wanted her to stop traveling for modeling.
C.B. also claimed Masterson was aggressive sexually and she woke up to him having sex with her several times, Mueller said. On one such occasion, Mueller said C.B. tried to fight him off but he allegedly pinned her arms back and pulled her hair as she screamed for him to stop.
“He had these rules… the ‘no touch hair rule’ and the ‘no touch face rule.’ He hit her across the face while he continues to penetrate her. Hespit in her face and called her ‘white trash’, which he often did,” Mueller alleged in court.
The next day, Mueller told the jury C.B. reported the alleged incident to an Ethics Officer at the Church of Scientology but claimed she was told, “You can’t rape your 2D [Second Dynamic, which is a spouse or partner]. Don’t ever use that word again.” She was also allegedly told she was “Out-Exchange” with Masterson, meaning he takes care of her so she should give him sex whenever he wants, per Mueller’s statement in court.
With N.T., Mueller shared a similar story about her going to Masterson’s home, feeling ill after having drinks and allegedly being ordered into the jacuzzi, shower and bed.
“She was out of it and very scared,” Mueller said, noting that N.T. told Masterson “I don’t want to do this,” but he still allegedly raped her in the shower and in bed. She later vomited and he allegedly ejaculated on her stomach, Mueller claimed.
Masterson’s lawyer later hit back at the claims from the women, telling the jury, “There’s no rape kit evidence …no voicemail evidence” and dismissed mentions of Scientology, per Deadline. He added that the case is simply about “three nights with three women 20 years [ago] and whether or not the government can prove beyond a reasonable doubt” that Masterson allegedly raped these women.
Danny Masterson.Michael Buckner/Getty Images for The George Lopez Foundation
Many of the allegations first surfaced in March 2017 when the LAPD’s Robbery Homicide Division confirmed an investigation was taking place into sexual assault allegations against the actor. In November 2017, HuffPost reported thata fourth womanhad accused Masterson of raping her in the early 2000s. Official charges were filed against Masterson in 2020.
Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up to date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
During last year’s preliminary hearing, the womendetailed their accusationsagainst the actor. Last week,Varietyreported that the trial would be limited in its discussion of the actor’s faith and the Church of Scientology’s alleged involvement after the assaults.
“This is not going to become a trial on Scientology,” Judge Charlaine Olmedo said in a pre-trial hearing.
If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, please contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) or go torainn.org.
source: people.com
