Marilyn Manson has finally backed down! After years of fierce legal tussle between him and Evan Rachel Wood, the rock musician has withdrawn his 2022 defamation suit. He is also trying to reach a settlement with Wood who accused him of sexual abuse. Here’s how the Marilyn Manson defamation suit has played out and why Manson has decided to surrender.
Manson has agreed to settle Wood’s attorney fees worth $327,000 after he dropped the controversial defamation suit he filed against her. He has also promised to take back his appeal through which he attempted to keep the case alive. But Wood isn’t making things easy for him as she will only agree to the settlement on her terms.
According to Wood’s lawyers, this isn’t the first time Manson, whose actual name is Brian Warner, attempted to make peace. They claim that he had tried to settle the case out of court in the past spring. Interestingly, he was appealing a judge’s ruling related to the case. But Manson had some conditions attached to his willingness to settle.
Manson had initially intended to settle on a part of Wood’s fees. He also attached a condition that both parties keep the settlement a secret. This was in contrast to the usual practice of releasing a joint statement approved by both parties.
Wood refused to accept the offer. Her lawyers said they won’t be party to any confidentiality agreement. Afterward, Manson, 55, agreed to drop the suit and pay all of Wood’s legal fees.
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Manson and Wood’s Lawyers Have Commented on the Marilyn Manson Defamation Suit
One of Wood’s lawyers has in a statement, described the situation as the fallout of a publicity stunt. Part of it read, “Marilyn Manson — whose real name is Brian Warner — filed a lawsuit against Ms. Wood as a publicity stunt to try to undermine the credibility of his many accusers and revive his faltering career. But his attempt to silence and intimidate Ms. Wood failed.”
The lawyer stated that Manson dropped his case after sensing defeat and trouble ahead. “As the trial court correctly found, Warner’s claims were meritless. Warner’s decision to finally abandon his lawsuit and pay Ms. Wood her full fee award of almost $327,000 only confirms as much,” they also stated.
On the other hand, Manson’s lawyers gave the outcome of the Marilyn Manson defamation suit a different interpretation. “As the trial court correctly found, Warner’s claims were meritless. Warner’s decision to finally abandon his lawsuit and pay Ms. Wood her full fee award of almost $327,000 only confirms as much,” his lawyer Howard King disclosed to reporters.
What Happened Between Marilyn Manson and Evan Rachel Wood?
In 2020, actress Evan Rachel Wood made damning accusations against Manson. She alleged that Manson, who she was once engaged to, abused her sexually and physically during their relationship. Woods took the matter a step further by detailing the abuse in a documentary, Phoenix Rising.
Wood also described how the abuse drove her to advocate for other victims of abuse. Wood had mentioned that she was a victim of abuse back in 2016 during an interview. However, she didn’t reveal her abuser’s identity at the time.
Eventually, she did. One of the instances was an Instagram post where she wrote, “The name of my abuser is Brian Warner, also known to the world as Marilyn Manson.” Manson, who vehemently denied the allegations, approached the court with a defamation suit.
He filed the case in March 2022, a few weeks after the scheduled date for the documentary’s release. But Wood wasn’t alone. After her testimony, over ten other women emerged, accusing the “Don’t Chase the Dead” singer of sexual abuse.
“[Marilyn Manson] started grooming me when I was a teenager and horrifically abused me for years,” Wood wrote in one of her social media posts. “I was brainwashed and manipulated into submission. I am done living in fear of retaliation, slander, or blackmail,” she added.
Speaking further, the post stated, “I am here to expose this dangerous man and call out the many industries that have enabled him before he ruins any more lives. I stand with the many victims who will no longer be silent.” Wood said Manson raped her on the set of “Heart-Shaped Glasses” in addition to physically abusing her on tour.
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Why Is Marilyn Manson Taking Legal Action Against Evan Rachel Wood?
After more than a year of Wood’s accusations, Manson approached the court, stating that her claim had “derailed” his career. Manson and Wood disclosed their relationship to the public in 2007. In 2010, they got engaged before splitting up just seven months later.
In the Marilyn Manson defamation suit, he alleged that Wood arranged for women to accuse him. He claimed that she hired the self-claimed sexual abuse survivors through her nonprofit organization, the Phoenix Act. Notably, Wood set up the organization to help women who are victims of abuse.
A judge, however, struck out these Marilyn Manson defamation suit claims in May 2023, ordering him to pay Evan Rachel Wood $326,956. In addition, the judge mandated him to pay her co-defendant, Illma Gore, the sum of $169,408. His team, however, filed an appeal challenging the ruling.
The sexual and physical abuse allegations from Wood and the other women sparked great public concern. Also, authorities launched investigations into the cases. In October 2024, then-outgoing LA County District Attorney George Gascon stated that his office was reviewing all available evidence to determine if they would charge Manson.
For now, Marilyn Manson continues to enjoy his reputation as a multiple award-winning musician who is interested in mysterious tattoos. However, if the allegations against him are found to be accurate, he could land in jail.
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