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American actress, Leah Remini has called Danny Masterson a ‘dangerous r@pist’ after the actor was sentenced to 30 years to life in prison for raping two women.
The Emmy-winning actress, 53, issued a statement on social media Thursday ripping the 47-year-old actor and said that the Church of Scientology was complicit in covering up his crimes.
‘I am relieved that this dangerous rapist will be off the streets and unable to violently assault and rape women with the help of Scientology, a multi-billion-dollar criminal organization with tax-exempt status,’ the New York City native, who had a well-publicized departure in 2013 from the church.
The King of Queens actress said she was present at Los Angeles Superior Court Thursday with two of the women who Masterson was convicted of sexually assaulting, calling it ‘a surreal experience.’
She said that ‘for over two decades, Danny Masterson avoided accountability for his crimes;’ that he was abetted by the church; and that Thursday’s sentencing was an indictment against the church and its leadership.
Remini said the church ‘managed to cover up Danny’s crimes’ and ‘engaged in a conspiracy to cover up crimes of sexual violence’ with its vast resources and personnel in sectors including media, law, and intelligence gathering.
Remini said the was ‘in awe of’ the rape survivors who ‘read their victim impact statements aloud in court’ in front of Masterson ‘and some of the very Scientologists who terrorized them over two decades.’
‘These women not only faced the living hell of being raped, having their rapes covered up by the very organization that promised to protect them, but they have also faced ruthless and criminal harassment by Scientology and its agents since they came forward to law enforcement.’
Remini, who has been outspoken against the church in the decade since her separation from the institution, explained what she claims are the dynamics in play in the church in sensitive situations as such.
‘I will always remind the public that in Scientology if you report another Scientologist to law enforcement, you are committing a high crime,’ Remini said. ‘The consequences of such a high crime are devastating: you will lose everything you’ve ever known, from your family to your friends to your
Remini said that ‘the women who survived Danny’s predation fought tirelessly for justice,’ and that ‘their tenacity, strength, and courage have given hope to all victims of Scientology that justice is possible … for that, we will forever be grateful.’
Remini, who was accused by Masterson in 2021 of trying to influence the case against him before his previous trial.
She wrapped up in thanking detectives with the Los Angeles Police Department, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office, and Superior Court Judge Charlaine F. Olmedo for their ‘fair and impartial approach to this case and trial.’
The church told DailyMail.com in a statement Thursday that ‘the prosecution’s introduction of religion into this trial was an unprecedented violation of the First Amendment and affects the due process rights of every American.
‘The Church has no policy prohibiting or discouraging members from reporting criminal conduct of anyone – Scientologists or not – to law enforcement.
‘Quite the opposite, Church policy explicitly demands Scientologists abide by all laws of the land. All allegations to the contrary are totally FALSE.
The church’s statement ended in saying, ‘There is not a scintilla of evidence supporting the scandalous allegations that the Church harassed the accusers. Every single instance of supposed harassment by the Church is FALSE, and has been debunked.’
Remini last month filed a lawsuit against the church and Scientology leader David Miscavige claiming ‘harassment, surveillance and defamation.’
Remini had past addressed her severance from the institution in her 2015 book Troublemaker: Surviving Hollywood and Scientology.
Remini also was the host and producer on the Emmy-winning A&E docuseries Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath, which ran for three seasons from 2016 to 2019.
In Thursday’s hearing, Judge Olmedo, who sentenced Masterson to 15 years for each felony rape, with the sentences to run consecutively, told the actor that although he had ‘steadfastly claimed his innocence,’ he was ‘not the victim here.
‘Your actions 20 years ago were criminal and that is why you are here today.’
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