Marilyn Manson (aka Brian Warner) faces more challenges as he attempts to relaunch his career this year. His career halted in February 2021 when his ex-fiancée, Evan Rachel Wood, publicly accused him of abuse during their 2007 to 2010 relationship.
After Wood’s allegations, over a dozen women made similar claims of sexual abuse and misconduct. The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department soon opened an investigation into Manson for alleged domestic violence incidents from 2009 to 2011.
These weren’t Manson‘s first allegations. In 2018, authorities investigated a sexual assault claim from 2011, but the Los Angeles District Attorney chose not to press charges due to insufficient evidence.
Though no charges have emerged from the 2021 investigation, that could soon change. On October 9th, Los Angeles District Attorney George Gascón announced that his office’s Sex Crimes Division is reviewing new evidence against Manson.
The statement reads:
“The LADA’s Sex Crimes Division is currently reviewing a case involving Brian Warner, aka Marilyn Manson
Experienced prosecutors from our office’s Sex Crimes Division are carefully reviewing new leads and additional evidence that continue to come to our attention from the Los Angeles County Sheriff Department’s investigation. New evidence has emerged within the last few weeks, adding to an already extensive case file presented to our office by the LASD.
It is our office’s responsibility to ensure that we have a complete picture of the admissible evidence available before making a filing decision. Senior staff members have met with victims, and our prosecutors continue to remain in contact with the victims and their representatives throughout this process. We are committed to making sure they are treated with dignity and respect.
I have received requests from victims to meet personally to discuss the case, however, as the case is being investigated it would be inappropriate for me, as District Attorney, to meet with victims during this time. We anticipate making a filing decision soon and will provide an update when that time comes. At that time, I look forward to meeting with the victims to discuss how my office can continue to support them.”
When allegations against Marilyn Manson surfaced in early 2021, his longtime manager Tony Ciulla, record label Loma Vista Recordings, and talent agency CAA quickly severed ties with him. He also lost his roles in the TV shows American Gods and Creepshow.
Although Manson publicly denied any wrongdoing, he has faced multiple civil lawsuits as a result of these accusations. Key developments include:
- Manson reached a settlement with Esmé Bianco in January 2023 after she sued him for sexual assault.
- Ashley Morgan Smithline recanted and dismissed her sexual assault lawsuit against Manson in February 2023.
- In September 2023, Manson settled with another woman who had accused him of sexual assault.
- A tentative trial date of June 2025 has been set for the sexual assault lawsuit filed by Manson’s ex-personal assistant, Ashley Walters.
- Bianca Allaine Kyne also filed a lawsuit accusing Manson of sexual assault dating back to the mid-to-late 1990s.
Beyond these sexual misconduct cases, Manson accepted a plea deal in September 2023 over a 2019 incident where he spat on a videographer during a concert. He pled no contest to misdemeanor simple assault, received a $1,400 fine, and was sentenced to 20 hours of community service. While a civil lawsuit from the videographer was initially dismissed, it was revived in November 2022.
Manson has consistently maintained his innocence regarding the sexual assault claims. In March 2022, he filed a defamation suit against Evan Rachel Wood and Ilma Gore, alleging they led a campaign to coach women into making false abuse allegations against him. He also claimed they impersonated an FBI agent to back their claims. However, several of Manson‘s defamation claims were dismissed, and he was ordered to pay $496,364 in Wood’s legal fees. In August 2023, Manson appealed some of the dismissed claims from that lawsuit.
Also in August 2023, Manson returned to the stage, performing live for the first time since 2019. He has since released new singles from his upcoming comeback album, One Assassination Under God – Chapter 1, which is slated for release on November 22nd via Nuclear Blast.
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