Thank you for taking time out of your day to visit the ‘Justice for Marilyn Manson’ website.
The first thing we have to address is a trigger warning!
These cases tackle very serious allegations that are not to be taken lightly. Please exercise caution when reviewing information throughout this site as well as the lawsuits in particular as they are heavy reads.
BACKGROUND:
Brian Warner a/k/a Marilyn Manson is an international musician who has been at the center of controversy for the bulk of his career.
In February 2021, multiple women came forward on social media as well as television and magazine appearances to make abuse allegations. Manson immediately faced repercussions that have largely impacted his life and career.
He was since dropped by his record label and talent agent as well as two television shows where he was a series regular. Multiple lawsuits were also filed against him shortly after the abuse allegations were made. Extensive investigations have been held by the FBI and LA county – but no charges have been filed.
Manson has not toured, released new work or sat for any interviews since the allegations were made but he has released a statement:
“Obviously, my art and my life have long been magnets for controversy – but these recent claims about me are horrible distortions of reality. My intimate relationships have always been entirely consensual with like-minded partners. Regardless of how – and why – others are now choosing to misrepresent the past; that is the truth.”
WHO ARE THE PARTIES
The biggest challenge is probably knowing where to start as there is a lot of information to cover – but I’m hopeful I can help provide some clarity along the way.
Let’s begin with a very brief introduction to the different parties involved within the cases. These are names you’ll see repeatedly spring up in court documents, news articles and on this website.
BRIAN WARNER AKA MARILYN MANSON: Rock musician who has been a controversial figure since he arrived on the scene in the 1990s.
THE ACCUSERS
ASHLEY MORGAN SMITHLINE: A model/actress who had a fling with Manson in Nov. 2010.
ASHLEY WALTERS: Former personal assistant (summer 2010 – 2011) of Manson’s who has made abuse allegations. Manson has also alleged that she misappropriated his personal information (login credentials, SSN, etc.) in a ‘hoax’ that includes claims of hacking, impersonation online, etc.
ESME BIANCO: UK actress, most known for a minor role in Game of Thrones, who had a friendship with Manson. They dated for a few months in 2011.
EVAN RACHEL WOOD: Indie actress who dated Manson on/off from 2007 into 2011. Since their split, she spoke very positively about Manson until a shift occurred sometime in or after 2016. In 2021, she alleged extreme abuse throughout the course of their relationship. The nature of her alleged abuse is covered in detail on the two-part documentary Phoenix Rising that’s currently available on HBO.
JANE DOE: An indie pop artist who met Manson at a pre-Grammys party in 2011. The two dated for a short period.
JANE DOE — BIANCA KYNE: A woman who originally sued as a Jane Doe but was revealed to be Bianca Kyne — who has shopped changing allegations against Manson to media outlets like The Sun.
ASSOCIATED PARTY
ILLMA GORE: A visual artist that dated and worked with Evan Rachel Wood at her now closed “Phoenix Act” nonprofit. In March 2022, Manson filed a lawsuit against Wood and Gore for intentional infliction of emotional distress — alleging a conspiracy that includes claims of fraud, identity theft, swatting and more.
Listen to a podcast episode walking through Gore’s personal background and her actions against Manson, here.
WHAT AND WHERE ARE THE CASES?
CIVIL LAWSUITS
ASHLEY MORGAN SMITHLINE V. MANSON: Filed in June 2021 covering abuse allegations as well as a claim of human trafficking as Smithline traveled from Thailand to LA to meet with Manson over a film project. Case dismissed on Jan. 3, 2023.
ASHLEY WALTERS V. MANSON: Filed in Spring 2021 and later dismissed in Spring 2022 over failure to argue enough facts to overcome the statute of limitations.
ESME BIANCO V. MANSON: Filed in Spring 2021 tackling abuse allegations as well as a claim of human trafficking as Manson hired Bianco for a music video that involved her traveling from the UK to LA. Case has been amended three times before coming to an end in January 2023.
JANE DOE V. MANSON: Filed in Spring 2021 on abuse allegations. Lawsuit was dismissed in Sept. 2021 but the judge granted Doe 20 days to make edits and re-file. She did so and a trial date was set for Oct. 2023 but a settlement was reached a week prior.
MANSON V. GORE AND WOOD: Filed in Spring 2022 alleging a conspiracy that involves allegedly circulating a fake FBI letter, hacking, impersonation online and swatting as well as defamation over false claims of child pornography. Shortly after Manson filed his lawsuit, both Gore and Wood filed anti-slapp motions in the state of California to dismiss portions as ‘free speech’. A hearing is scheduled for Feb. 7, 2023. Trial date TBD.
BIANCA KYNE V MANSON: Filed in January 2023 against Manson and over 25 defendants (who were never served) for claims as far back as the 1995. Manson filed a motion for dismissal Kyne’s attorneys didn’t oppose — and the case is pending dismissal.
CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS
LA COUNTY:
- The LA Co. Sheriff’s Dept. conducted a 19-month long investigation – that included a raid of Manson’s residence and multiple seized devices in November 2021.
- The LA Sheriff’s Dept. turned the results of their investigation over to the LA District Attorney’s office in September 2022 who has been reviewing the case file.
- No charges have been filed to date.
FBI:
- According to court documents, multiple accusers have sat for 2020 and 2021 interviews with the FBI in numerous states.
- Also according to court documents – on Feb. 3, 2022, a Florida-based FBI agent whose name appears on a forged document Evan Rachel Wood filed in court informed an attorney that there was no “active” investigation into Brian Warner/Manson at that time.
- No criminal charges have been filed to date.
Want to Learn More?
Discover a selection of websites, YouTube channels and other great resources, here.