Leah Remini is still battling against the Church of Scientology in the courts, and she is doing everything she can to make sure she gets a fair trial. This includes requesting a new judge for the third time, as the previous two were deemed prejudiced by Remini and her legal team.
For those who need a little refresher on Leah Remini’s past with Scientology, here’s what’s going on in a nutshell. Remini, a former longtime member of the Church of Scientology, has been highly critical of the organization since leaving in 2013. She has become an outspoken critic, advocating for transparency and accountability within the organization. She called out the Los Angeles Police Department when they said they found Scientology leader David Miscavige’s famously missing wife Shelly Miscavige “alive and safe,” as they did not provide proof to the public and simply shut the missing persons case, People reports.
Her experiences and criticisms led her to create the documentary series Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath, where she investigates the church through personal stories and accounts from former members.
In August 2023, Remini filed a lawsuit against the Church of Scientology and its leader, David Miscavige, alleging harassment and defamation.
But her lawsuit has reached another impasse as a second judge has recused themselves from presiding over the case. According to Showbiz 411, the judge who was supposed to preside over the case, Judge Barbara Scheper, recused herself because her husband, David Scheper, a lawyer, has been on the Scientology payroll for quite some time and has represented the organization in a number of cases.
The first judge, LA Superior Court Judge William F. Fahey, was originally assigned the case, but Remini and her lawyers filed papers asking for his removal, citing prejudice.
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The Church of Scientology has vehemently denied Remini’s allegations. “This lawsuit is ludicrous and the allegations pure lunacy,” the statement read. “Remini spreads hate and falsehoods for a decade and is now offended when people exercise their right to free speech, exposing her for what she is, an anti-free speech bigot.”
The church is “not intimidated by Remini’s latest act of blatant harassment and attempt to prevent truthful free speech,” the statement further read. “If Remini does not believe in free speech, then she should consider emigrating to Russia.”
But Remini is not budging. “Here, defendants have undertaken a campaign to ruin and destroy the life and livelihood of Leah Remini, a former Scientologist of nearly 40 years, a two-time Emmy-award winning producer, actress and New York Times best-selling author, after she was deemed a suppressive person and declared fair game by Scientology in 2013, when she publicly departed Scientology…,” the suit states.
According to the suit, Remini has been stalked and surveilled by the powerful organization and “been the victim of intentional malicious and fraudulent rumors via hundreds of Scientology-controlled and coordinated social media accounts that exist solely to intimidate and spread misinformation,” along with harassing Remini’s family, friends, and colleagues.
Here’s hoping that Judge #3 doesn’t have some tie to Scientology and Remini is able to get a fair case.
Before you go, click here to see celebrities who have left the Church of Scientology.
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