Marilyn Manson’s lawsuit has been dismissed once more

A civil action initiated by a former personal assistant, Ashley Walters, against Marilyn Manson, alleging various forms of misconduct including sexual battery, has been terminated shortly before its scheduled trial, as per theprp. The presiding judge, Steve Cochran, determined that Ms. Walters’ claim was subject to the prescribed statutory limitation period. Furthermore, the court contested the legal basis for seeking to reinstate the litigation, which was premised on the alleged suppression of memories pertaining to the purported misconduct.

We have a situation where the complaint was not filed until about 10 years after the operative events. I’m not able to find that the delayed discovery rule is applicable. I don’t have the authority to rule that the delayed discovery doctrine would apply under the circumstances that exist in this case. – Judge Cochran

We’re disappointed. We think this is the wrong decision. The delayed discovery rule is specifically to address situations where victims of sexual abuse deserve the ability to seek justice when their abuser has used tactics to prevent them from coming forward. This is something we see time and time again, and it seems the law hasn’t caught up to the science and what’s right for victims. But I don’t believe this is the end of the road. – Kate McFarlane (Walters’ representative) to Rolling Stone

Ms. Walters’ civil action pertained to alleged occurrences spanning from August 2010 to July 2011, during her tenure as an employee of the defendant. Initially filed in 2021, her original pleading asserted claims of sexual harassment, sexual assault, sexual battery, intentional infliction of emotional distress, and contraventions of various Californian civil statutes. It detailed multiple serious accusations against the defendant. Procedural challenges related to the statute of limitations initially led to the case’s dismissal in May 2022. However, the judgment was subsequently overturned upon successful appeal in December 2023. The defendant has consistently repudiated the allegations posited by Ms. Walters.

It’s gratifying, after all these years, that a judge can just look at the facts and see that once again, Brian Warner was wrongfully accused. It’s nice for him to get some justice, though it was at great personal cost. Now he can move on – Howard King (Manson‘s lawyer) to Rolling Stone

He has been subject to multiple allegations and civil litigations following disclosures by over a dozen women in 2021. This surge of purported misconduct claims succeeded public accusations of abuse made by his former fiancée, Evan Rachel Wood, in February 2021. The renewed dismissal of Ms. Walters’ complaint signifies the resolution of the majority of the defendant’s legal entanglements concerning these collective allegations.