Los Angeles judge again dismissed, last Tuesday, the 16th, the civil sexual assault lawsuit filed against musician Marilyn Manson by his former assistant, Ashley Walters . The decision came just days before a trial that was scheduled to begin in January 2026.
The lawsuit, initiated in 2021, alleged that Walters had been subjected to verbal, physical, and sexual abuse during the period she worked for the artist in 2010 and 2011, but the judge ruled that the allegations were out of time and could not proceed to court.
As reported by Rolling Stone , Judge Steve Cochran stated that the lawsuit was filed almost ten years after the alleged events, exceeding the maximum time limit for filing a lawsuit under California law. Furthermore, he rejected the application of the so-called delayed discovery rule , which could allow for an extension of the time limit if the alleged victim had experienced trauma that delayed the disclosure of the facts. Walters' lawyer stated that she intends to appeal the decision, arguing that the legal system needs to keep pace with the understanding of how trauma can affect when victims feel able to seek justice.
The filing marks another controversial chapter in the long series of legal disputes that have accompanied Manson's career following numerous public accusations of abuse in recent years. In 2025, an investigation by the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department concluded that there was insufficient evidence to bring criminal charges against the musician in other cases.
Ashley Walters was offered to the singer's friends so that he could "please" them.
Court documents filed in 2021 by former assistant Ashley Walters allege that, during her time working for artist Marilyn Manson, she was sexually exploited and even "offered" to the musician's friends and acquaintances without her consent. According to the allegations, Walters says Manson encouraged others to kiss, touch, or "have" her as they pleased. She claims this behavior occurred repeatedly while she was under his professional and personal supervision.
The reports also describe other serious incidents, such as being forced to stay awake for extended periods under the influence of drugs, physical abuse and psychological coercion, as well as inappropriate comments and predatory behavior attributed to the singer. Manson also blackmailed the victim through a series of photos he allegedly forced her to take using Nazi artifacts. He repeated this behavior during his relationship with actress Evan Rachel Wood , who reportedly witnessed racist and Nazi behavior from the singer, who liked to call her a "Jew" in a derogatory way. These accusations emerged amidst a broader set of accounts from several women who mentioned situations of abuse involving Manson over the past few years.
Sexual abuse allegations against Marilyn Manson
Over the past four years, Manson has been embroiled in a series of legal battles and has been accused by several women, including actress Evan Rachel Wood , of sexual, emotional, and physical abuse. Following the actress's testimony, other women came forward to denounce numerous acts of violence by Manson; among them, actress Esmé Bianco and former assistant Ashley Walters .
Marilyn Manson made his return to the stage in August 2024, marking the singer's first show since the accusations. In November of the same year, he released the album Assassination Under God – Chapter 1 through Nuclear Blast Records after being dropped by his longtime label Loma Vista Recordings and the agency CAA following the accusations.
The singer denied all accusations and sued several of his alleged victims, being acquitted in January 2025 due to lack of evidence.
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