Marilyn Manson Settles Another Sex Assault Lawsuit Outside of Court
(Trigger warning: The following post explains a number of alleged sexual assault incidents involving rape, bullying, physical threats of violence.)
Knock another lawsuit off of little Brian Werner‘s (aka Marilyn Manson) laundry list of legal entanglements, as an unnamed woman who previously accused the shock rocker of sexual assault has opted to accept a settlement about a week out from heading to court.
In a prepared statement to Rolling Stone, the woman involved only identified as Jane Doe said she only accepted the settlement after enduring more than two years of personal attacks made against her after filing her lawsuit.
“I was fully prepared for trial and never in a million years thought I would ever settle, but over the past two-and-a-half years I have silently endured threats, bullying, harassment and various forms of intimidation that have intensified over the past few weeks. Marilyn Manson attended my deposition, and I was forced to answer seven hours of aggressive questioning with him staring at me from across the table. I’ve been told that this almost never happens, as it’s cruel, and that a main reason for it would be to intimidate and inflict emotional distress on a victim.
“I never cared about money and only ever wanted justice, but if we had gone to trial, I could have lost my right to anonymity and been victim-blamed on a large and public scale. Most importantly I could have risked losing the freedom to tell my story, and that is worth more than anything in the world.
“If any other victims are reading this, please know that you are loved and supported even if it doesn’t feel that way, and that in spite of everything I’ve been through I don’t for one second regret speaking up.”
Doe’s attorney Adam Wolf praised his client’s bravery for stepping forward, affirming that potential perpetrators should be brought to justice.
“I am honored to have supported Ms. Doe. My law firm stands with those who bravely push back against misconduct in all forms, especially by high-profile, powerful men. We are dedicated to fighting for justice, no matter how long it takes. You are not alone.”
Following the settlement, Manson’s attorney Howard King said he and his client were satisfied with the settlement. The terms of the agreement, however, are not public.
“Brian is pleased that, just as previous lawsuits were abandoned without payment or settled for pennies on the dollar, this plaintiff has now agreed to drop her suit in exchange for an insurance payment representing a fraction of her demands and far less than the cost to Brian of proceeding to trial.”
The lawsuit was filed back in 2021 as various other women also leveled accusations against Manson. In this particular case, however, the woman had to re-file her lawsuit after it had been initially dismissed for apparently running afoul of California’s statute of limitations.
In the Jane Doe’s complaint, she alleged that Manson raped and abused her in 2011, forcing her to have sex with him while depriving her of food, sleep, and safety. She also alleged that he threatened her life by saying he would “bash her head in” if she reported the incident to police.
Doe also said she was forced to “have sex with him, and to be on top of him during sex. She would pray for Warner to pass out during intercourse. When this happened, [she] would try to slip away and get some sleep, but the moment she moved, Warner would wake up and demand to resume the sexual activity.” Jane Doe’s accusations also include what she claimed were repressed memories of “forced oral and vaginal rape,” which she said either took place hours or days after the first incident. She also said she was forced to perform oral sex on Manson’s bandmate Twiggy Ramirez.
She also alleged that Manson had told her about his ongoing issues with Evan Rachel Wood, including how he wanted her dead and how he once threatened the actress with a firearm.
This is the second sexual assault lawsuit against Manson that’s been settled outside of court. Back in January, Game of Thrones actress Esmé Bianco also took a settlement from the rock star. In her case, Bianco alleged that Manson sexually battered and raped her, and violated California’s human trafficking laws.
There are still a number of court cases pending against Manson regarding his alleged sexual assault of various women, along with a defamation suit Manson filed against Wood. He was also recently sentenced for a simple assault charge relating to a 2019 incident where he was found guilty of spitting and blowing his nose on a videographer during a concert.
