A woman recounted to a judge on Tuesday, May 18, that she drifted in and out of consciousness on a night 18 years ago, during which she discovered actor Danny Masterson sexually assaulting her.
During a preliminary hearing in Los Angeles Superior Court, the woman, identified only as Jen B., testified as a judge determines whether there is enough evidence to proceed to trial for the “That ’70s Show” actor, who faces accusations of raping three women.
She disclosed, “When I came to, he was on top of me. The first thing I recall is grabbing his hair to pull him off.”
Masterson has maintained his innocence, pleading not guilty, and his attorney, Thomas Mesereau, has asserted that he will demonstrate his client’s innocence.
During her testimony, Jen B. stated that she and Masterson were part of the same circle of friends associated with the Church of Scientology in the late 1990s and early 2000s. She had gone to Masterson’s residence to retrieve a set of keys on April 25, 2003, and became stranded there.
She conveyed that Masterson had prepared a drink with vodka at her request, her first drink of the night. However, she later felt “blurry,” weak, and queasy, and had no strength to resist as Masterson placed her in his jacuzzi.
After exiting the jacuzzi, she was incapacitated. A mutual friend, Luke Watson, attempted to assist her.
She further stated, “I couldn’t walk or stand, so he put me on the tile on the ground.” Jen B., who remained composed throughout her emotional testimony, added, “I said, ‘Luke I can’t see,’ and he said, ‘Open your eyes,’ and I didn’t know my eyes were closed. I couldn’t open my eyelids. I felt really, really sick.”
She recounted how Masterson carried her upstairs, where she vomited, and then placed her in his shower. She mentioned starting to lose consciousness but was alert enough to find Masterson applying soap on her bare breasts. Her attempts to physically resist were thwarted due to her weakened state.
According to her testimony, she only recollects fragments of memory following the assault. She also described a moment when, unable to repel Masterson by pulling his hair, she placed a pillow on his face. Subsequently, she alleged that he brandished a gun from his nightstand drawer to intimidate her.
Under cross-examination, Mesereau questioned her regarding the absence of the gun in a police report she filed the next year. A prosecution objection led to the judge disallowing the question.
Mesereau repeatedly probed Jen B. about disparities between her 2004 police report and a 2003 “knowledge report” she submitted to the church regarding the incident, as it sought to mediate between her and Masterson. She admitted the differences but stated her intention to be truthful in every instance.
Jen B. also testified that she developed bruises on her wrists and neck area in the days that followed the incident, experiencing immense pain in her genitalia.
She disclosed that the Church of Scientology leadership, to which her parents and friends belonged, strongly discouraged her from involving law enforcement. According to policy, she would be labeled a “suppressive person” should she report an incident against a member in good standing like Masterson.
She said, “I would lose my family and everyone I knew,” but despite this, she chose to go to the police in June 2004.
Mesereau contested her portrayal of the Scientology response.
In a lawsuit against the church and Masterson, the church denied engaging in any form of harassment.
Jen B. acknowledged that prosecutors informed her in 2004 that her case had been rejected partly due to the number of witnesses against her. She is set to resume her testimony on Wednesday, May 19, as the hearing, anticipated to span four days, continues.
