In Court, A Woman Sobs As She Testifies That ‘The ’70s Show’ Actor Danny Masterson Raped And Choked Her In 2003

A woman sobbed on the witness stand while testifying about a night in 2003 when she awoke. She awakens to find actor Danny Masterson rapping with her.

After waking up, she discovers actor Danny Masterson rapping her. Claim Masterson raped them to testify in his trial in Los Angeles. She claimed she tried to pull Masterson away by grabbing his hair, but he shoved a pillow in her face.

“I am smothered,” she sobbed. “I couldn’t take a breath.”
She claimed she later grabbed his throat to attempt to push him away, but he grabbed her and began choking her.

When asked what her thinking was then, she replied: “That he was planning to murder me. That I would perish.”

She was sobbing by this point. The judge called a brief recess after she said, “I can’t do this,” and a court victims’ services advocate consoled her on the witness stand.
When she retook the stand, she testified that when there was a commotion and voices at the door. Masterson pulled a gun from his bedside drawer table and ordered her to be quiet.

She claimed that despite drinking only about half of the fruity vodka drink Masterson had given her, she went in and out of consciousness throughout the night.

Masterson, 46, a regular on the Fox TV sitcom ‘That ’70s Show at the time, pleaded not guilty to three counts of rape.

Questions from Masterson’s attorney Phillip Cohen before the trial ended for the day. The attorney suggested that he challenge her on the differences between the story. She told police in 2004, which did not result in charges for Masterson, and her testimony Wednesday.

She admits that she left out parts of the story “to protect people” at the time.

A previous defense lawyer for Masterson emphasized this at a preliminary hearing last year. There is no mention of the gun in the LAPD report from 2004. The three women reframed each consensual sex as rape.

Unless they come forward publicly, the Associated Press does not name people who claim to be sexually abused.

Masterson, wearing a suit and sitting at the defense table, looked at the woman as she testified but made no visible reaction. His wife, actress and model Bijou Phillips, and several family members and friends sat behind him at the front of the gallery.

The woman, then 27, was Masterson’s assistant’s best friend and a member of the same Church of Scientology social circle.

She testified that she only went to Masterson’s house to get a set of keys. Her relationship with Masterson had been strained. Since the two had sex several months Prior. An incident she described to police consensual in 2004. But later, she decided not to consent. In 2016, she returned to the police force.

Cohen asked her during cross-examination if she believed Masterson raped her the first time they had sex in 2004, and she said “no.” She also said “no” when asked if that was her current position. Before he could press her further, the court adjourned.

All three of Masterson’s accusers were members of the Church of Scientology at the time of the alleged rape. Despite having since left the organization. Masterson is still a member. Before the trial, Judge Charlaine Olmedo stated that she would not allow Scientology to become a de facto defendant. But would enable little discussion.

The judge warned the woman not to stray too far into religious discussions before she took the stand on Wednesday, an issue she had already warned Deputy District Attorney Reinhold Mueller about.

Scientology is still mentioned. The woman testified after some of her mutual friends filed “knowledge reports.” Expressing their dissatisfaction with her. After she describes the initial incident with Masterson. She is summoned by an ethics officer who forces her to make peace with him and accept responsibility.

“You can never be a victim,” said the woman. “You are always responsible for whatever happens.”

When asked if she still feared retaliation for speaking out about Masterson, she replied, “about half of this courtroom.”

She testifies as signing a non-disclosure agreement with Masterson in 2004. She accepted $400,000 over a year. Because the church would label her a “suppressive person” otherwise, she claimed she had broken the contract “about 50 times” since signing it.

She testified that she had only planned to spend a few minutes at Masterson’s house, which served as a social hub for their friend circle.

Masterson’s is one of several trials with #MeToo themes taking place across the country at the same time. They include Harvey Weinstein’s sexual assault and second rape trial. Just down the hall, and civil problems in New York for actors Kevin Spacey and Paul Haggis. Both of them are sued for sexual assault.

Scientology is also playing a significant role in the trial of Haggis. A church dissident allows arguing the institution is behind the allegations against him.