LOS ANGELES – The combating and intimidation of four women who accused TV actor Danny Masterson of rape must now be mediated within the Church of Scientology, a Los Angeles judge ruled Wednesday.
The verdict comes a few days before Masterson’s written trial on three charges of rape between 2001 and 2003. In early November, the trial would take place on January 6.
On Wednesday, Los Angeles Supreme Court Judge Steven Kleifield ruled that the harassment of Chrissie Carnell Bixler, her husband, musician Cedric Bixler-Zavala, Marie Bobette Riales and two Jane Does should be settled by the Church in ‘religious arbitration’, as there is already an arbitration agreement between the parties forcing disputes to be handled by the Church of Scientology.
According to the August 2019 case, the plaintiffs were pursued and intimidated by the church agents after they went to the police to report the allegations. Carnell Bixler claims Masterson repeatedly sexually assaulted her while dating in 2001 and 2002. Bixler-Zavala alleges that ‘agents of the accused’ assaulted them through, among other things, poisoning of their dogs, assaults on cars and harassing phone calls.
Jane Doe # 1 also alleges harassment through property damage, threats of violence, assault and sexual harassment in retaliation for reporting her alleged rape to the police. Jane Doe # 2 was also part of the lawsuit alleging that the defendants caused emotional distress, stalking and invasion of privacy.
Andrew Brettler, Masterson’s attorney, said: “That was absolutely the correct result. We look forward to arbitrating the claims as ordered by the court.”
No decision was made on the claims by Bobette Riales, who was not a member of the church and therefore was not subject to the arbitration agreement.
The court convened a status conference on the arbitration on June 30.