Marilyn Manson has dropped his defamation lawsuit in opposition to actress Evan Rachel Wooden and agreed to pay practically $327,000 in attorneys’ charges.
In February 2021, Wooden publicly recognized Manson as her abuser, accusing her one-time fiancé of sexual assault, psychological abuse, and numerous types of coercion, violence, and intimidation.
Manson, whose actual identify is Brian Warner, responded by submitting a defamation lawsuit in March 2022.
In Might 2023, a California choose tossed out most of Manson’s defamation go well with, citing California’s anti-SLAPP legislation and its protections on particular person free speech. The choose subsequently ordered that Manson pay Wooden’s authorized charges, which totaled $326,956.
Although Manson initially sought to enchantment the ruling, Rolling Stone reviews that he has now agreed to drop the lawsuit and pay Wooden’s full attorneys’ charges.
“Marilyn Manson filed a lawsuit in opposition to Ms. Wooden as a publicity stunt to attempt to undermine the credibility of his many accusers and revive his faltering profession. However his try and silence and intimidate Ms. Wooden failed,” a consultant for Wooden stated in a press release. “Because the trial court docket appropriately discovered, Warner’s claims had been meritless. Warner’s choice to lastly abandon his lawsuit and pay Ms. Wooden her full payment award of just about $327,000 solely confirms as a lot.”
Wooden’s accusations led to a flurry of different sexual assault allegations in opposition to Manson. The singer has reached settlements with a few the ladies, together with Recreation of Thrones actress Esmé Bianco. One other lawsuit, filed by mannequin Ashley Morgan Smithline was dismissed after she recanted her accusations in opposition to the shock rocker.
The newly dropped defamation go well with in opposition to Wooden alleged that the actress “secretly recruited, coordinated, and pressured potential accusers to emerge concurrently with allegations of rape and abuse in opposition to Warner,” amongst different claims.
The a number of sexual assault accusations in opposition to Manson primarily put a halt to his music profession. Nevertheless, he returned to the stage earlier this yr supporting 5 Finger Loss of life Punch on tour, and simply final week launched a brand new album titled One Assassination Below God – Chapter 1.
This can be a creating story…