Marilyn Manson Just Lost A Crucial Legal Battle Against Evan Rachel Wood
A significant part of Marilyn Manson's defamantion case against Evan Rachel Wood has been tossed out.
Controversial rock musician Marilyn Manson suffered a significant setback in his legal battle after a substantial portion of his defamation case against Evan Rachel Wood was recently dismissed, according to Deadline. The Westworld actress, who Manson accused of fabricating a conspiracy to depict him as a serial abuser involved in multiple sexual assaults against women, has been spared from legal proceedings related to the allegations. In a final ruling, LA Superior Court Judge Teresa A. Beaudet wrote, “The Court grants Wood’s special motion to strike in part.”
Marilyn Manson, whose real name is Brian Warner, filed a lawsuit against Evan Rachel Wood and her friend Illma Gore in 2021. This legal action was initiated just before the release of the HBO documentary titled Phoenix Rising, released in 2022. The documentary delves into the musician’s sexual assault accusations and Wood’s advocacy for legislation to extend the statute of limitations for domestic violence cases in California.
Within his defamation lawsuit, Marilyn Manson claimed that Evan Rachel Wood and Illma Gore had deceived potential accusers, coaxing them to fabricate sexual assault allegations against him. Specifically, Manson alleged that Wood and Gore falsely asserted that he had filmed the assault of a minor in a 1996 short film he made called Groupie. These accusations formed a crucial part of the musician’s legal case against the pair.
After careful consideration, LA Superior Court Judge Teresa A. Beaudet ruled in favor of the defense, recognizing that Marilyn Manson faced significant challenges in establishing a successful defamation case. The judge found that Manson lacked evidence to support his claim that Evan Rachel Wood had endorsed Illma Gore’s defamatory statements or had prior knowledge of Gore’s intention to defame him. As a result, Beaudet concluded that the musician was unlikely to prevail in his defamation claims.
This is just one of many significant setbacks Marilyn Manson has faced in recent years as the result of multiple women coming forward with allegations of assault and abuse against him. These allegations have had profound consequences on his career, with his record label, Loma Vista Recording, ultimately dropping him in response to the mounting accusations. The collective weight of these claims and the subsequent fallout has further tarnished the rocker’s already contentious image within the industry.
Evan Rachel Wood was in a relationship with Marilyn Manson from 2006 to 2010. In February 2021, the 35-year-old performer accused the musician of sexual assault and physical abuse. She also alleged that he gave her large amounts of drugs and alcohol and conspired to release underage photos of her. If that isn’t bad enough, Wood also claimed Manson attempted to ruin her career.
Shortly after Wood’s accusations, Game of Thrones actress Esme Bianco came forward with similar claims. She alleged that Marilyn Manson cut her with a knife and sent photos of the injuries to his bandmates. In another instance, she claimed Manson chased her around with an axe.
Marilyn Manson maintains his denial of all allegations leveled against him. Regarding the ruling in Manson’s defamation case against Evan Rachel Wood, his lawyer, Michael Kump, intends to appeal the decision. Manson’s legal team aims to challenge the ruling to pursue a different outcome.
