Marilyn Manson continues to be accused of sexual abuse, assault and misconduct. But the rocker continues to deny the claims. And so far, he’s avoided trials – despite several lawsuits brought against him.
In total, more than a dozen women have made allegations of sexual impropriety against Manson, whose legal name is Brian Warner, but not all of them have pursued legal action. “Game of Thrones” star Esmé Bianco, actress Evan Rachel Wood and Ashley Morgan Smithline are among the women who have publicly come forward about alleged abuse.
Below is a timeline of Manson’s recent legal issues and allegations.
January 2023: Marilyn Manson sued for sexual assault of a minor
The latest lawsuit against Manson arrived Jan. 30. A plaintiff, identified as Jane Doe, filed in the Nassau County Supreme Court in Long Island, New York, and alleges sexual assault and rape, which she claims began when she was 16 and continued for years.
Interscope Music Publishing and Nothing Records, which previously represented Manson, are also named as defendants. Doe alleges they knew about Manson’s abusive nature and “celebrated and promoted (it) for their collective financial gain.”
Manson’s attorney Howard King claims the accuser’s allegations have been inconsistent.
“Brian Warner does not know this individual and has no recollection of ever having met her 28 years ago,” King said in a statement to USA TODAY. “He certainly was never intimate with her. She has been shopping her fabricated tale to tabloids and on podcasts for more than two years. But even the most minimal amount of scrutiny reveals the obvious discrepancies in her ever-shifting stories as well as her extensive collusion with other false accusers.”
The latest lawsuit:Marilyn Manson sued for sexual assault of a minor
January 2023: Marilyn Manson and Esmé Bianco settle sexual assault lawsuit
Nearly two years after Bianco filed a sexual assault lawsuit against Manson and his company, the two reached a settlement in January.
“Ms. Bianco has agreed to resolve her claims against Brian Warner and Marilyn Manson Records, Inc.,” Manson’s attorney Howard King and Bianco’s attorney Jay D. Ellwanger said in separate statements issued at the time.
Ellwanger added that the decision was made “in order (for Esmé) to move on with her life and career.”
Details of the terms were not released.
Bianco, who played Ros in the first three seasons of HBO’s “Game of Thrones,” sued Manson in April 2021, detailing allegations of rape and verbal and physical abuse dating back to 2007.
In the lawsuit, filed in federal court in Los Angeles, Bianco alleged Manson deprived her of food and sleep, gave her alcohol and drugs, locked her in a bedroom, whipped her, cut her, gave her electric shocks, tried to force her to have sex with another woman and threatened to enter her room and rape her during the night.
The settlement:Marilyn Manson and Esmé Bianco settle sexual assault lawsuit
May 2022: Judge dismisses case of former assistant accusing Manson of sexual battery
A judge in May 2022 dismissed a case from Marilyn Manson’s former assistant, who accused the embattled musician of sexual assault, battery and harassment.
In an order of dismissal obtained by USA TODAY, Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Michael L. Stern dismissed Ashley Walters’ “entire action” against the musician, which alleged Manson used “his position of power, celebrity and connections to exploit and victimize (her) during her employment” from August 2010 to October 2011.
In the dismissal, Stern dismissed the case “with prejudice,” which means that Walters will not be able to file the same claims in Los Angeles Superior Court again. Stern said Walters had “too few facts” and pleaded “too late,” according to reports from CBS News and Deadline.
“We are deeply disappointed in the court’s decision today. If allowed to stand, this decision would drastically limit the ability of victims of abuse to obtain justice through the legal system,” Walters’ lawyers told USA TODAY in a statement, adding that the court “based its decision on the timeliness of Ashley’s claims and not the merits.”
The dismissal:Judge dismisses sexual assault lawsuit against Marilyn Manson filed by former assistant
The claims:Marilyn Manson’s former assistant sues him for sexual assault, battery
March 2022: Evan Rachel Wood alleges abuse, Manson sues for defamation
Manson sued Wood, his former fiancée, for defamation, emotional distress and “impersonation over the internet,” weeks before the “Westworld” star’s HBO documentary “Phoenix Rising” was released, which detailed horrifying, harrowing accounts of their past relationship.
In the two-part documentary, the actress and activist claimed Manson made her drink his blood, hit her with a swastika-adorned Nazi whip and shocked her private parts.
Wood first named Manson as her abuser in an Instagram post in February 2022. Manson called Wood’s statements “horrible distortions of reality.”
Manson filed a lawsuit in Los Angeles Superior Court accusing his former fiancée and her friend artist Illma Gore of using falsities to “publicly cast” Manson “as a rapist and abuser.”
The 22-page lawsuit, obtained by USA TODAY, claimed Wood, who has spoken out about her abusive relationship with Manson, and Gore forged an FBI investigation letter to convince other women to come forward with sexual abuse allegations and coached them on what to say about Manson. The lawsuit accuses Wood and Gore of creating a fake email account impersonating Manson to concoct “harmful” correspondence “and bolster the allegations levied against him.”
The ‘Phoenix Rising’ doc:Evan Rachel Wood alleges Marilyn Manson made her drink his blood
November 2021: Police search Manson’s house
Authorities searched the home of Manson in November 2021 after allegations of physical and sexual abuse by several women.
Los Angeles County sheriff’s Deputy Eva Jimenez said a search warrant was served on Manson’s home. She would give no further details. The Sheriff’s Department said in February 2021 that its detectives had begun investigating Manson over reports of domestic violence between 2009 and 2011 in West Hollywood, where he lived at the time.
July 2021: Manson turns himself into police on assault charges
Manson turned himself in to the Los Angeles Police Department in July 2021 on an outstanding warrant involving assault charges, according to police.
Manson turned himself in on an arrest warrant based in Gilford, New Hampshire, and was released on bail with conditions, Gilford Police Chief Tony Bean Burpee said in a statement to USA TODAY. Manson’s lawyers made an agreement with Gilford police to serve the warrant in California. Warner was processed and released on personal recognizance bail.
The musician faced two counts of Class A misdemeanor simple assault. The accusations against Manson stemmed from acts that allegedly occurred while performing during a concert at the Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion in Gilford, Burpee said.
Law enforcement say the alleged assaults were not sexual in nature and involved a videographer in the stage pit, who was subcontracted to film the show.
Initially, Manson’s attorney Howard King called the Gilford Police Department’s claim “ludicrous” in a May statement to USA TODAY, but added that he and his client “remain committed to cooperating with authorities, as we have done throughout.”
May 2021: Marilyn Manson accused of physical abuse, rape by ex Ashley Morgan Smithline
Smithline came forward in May 2021 to allege sexual, emotional and physical abuse while dating Manson.
The model accused the rocker of raping, biting and whipping her during their relationship more than a decade ago in a People interview.
“I survived a monster,” Smithline told the outlet in her first interview since she named her abuser three months earlier. She provided the outlet with emails and messages she says came from Manson showing the two were together for more than two years.
An unnamed spokesperson for Manson denied Smithline’s allegations to People, saying her relationship with Manson lasted less than a week.
The allegations:Marilyn Manson accused of physical abuse, rape by ex Ashley Morgan Smithline
Contributing: Naledi Ushe, Elise Brisco, Jenna Ryu, Amy Haneline, USA TODAY; and The Associated Press
Story Credit: usatoday.com