Marilyn Manson: judge reopens sexual assault lawsuit

A Los Angeles judge has decided to reopen the sexual assault lawsuit against Marilyn Manson, which had been dismissed last year, in light of new legislation that has come into effect in California. The lawsuit was originally filed by the musician's former personal assistant, Ashley Walters, and was thrown out on December 16 by Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Steve Cochran. However, the same judge reconsidered his ruling after the passage of a law that reopens the filing window for this type of claim. During a hearing held on January 26, Cochran explained: "I've looked at this carefully. I believe the new law revives the claim. So, in effect, we're heading back toward trial." The law in question is AB 250, signed by Governor Gavin Newsom last October. The measure introduces a two-year retroactive window allowing alleged victims of sexual assault to refile lawsuits previously ruled time-barred. A further hearing has been set for March 27, 2026.

Meanwhile, Manson's attorney, Howard King, told Rolling Stone that his client, born Brian Warner, intends to appeal the decision. According to the lawyer, "Ashley Walters has been granted the right to pursue a very narrow claim under the new law, but it is an accusation that will not survive the next motion for summary judgment." King reiterated that "the undisputed fact is that Mr. Warner never committed any sexual assault."

The reaction from Walters' legal team was quite different. Attorney Bina Ahmad told Deadline: "We are absolutely thrilled for Ms. Walters. She never stopped fighting to get justice."

In the lawsuit, Walters accuses Warner of sexual assault and of verbal, physical and psychological abuse dating back to the period when she worked for him, between 2010 and 2011. In her complaint, she also claims to have witnessed a physical assault against the musician's former girlfriend, Evan Rachel Wood, who was struck with a prop skull. Warner has consistently denied all the allegations.

The lawsuit was first filed in 2021, but in 2022 it was dismissed for exceeding the two-year statute of limitations set out under California law. In 2023, an appeals court ordered it to be reinstated. In parallel, in January 2025, California prosecutors announced the closure of a separate investigation into Manson, which never led to any charges. In that case too, the musician had denied all wrongdoing through his lawyers, calling the allegations "baseless."

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