Marilyn Manson's accuser retracts her allegations against the musician. More information here.
by Ana Walia | Mon, 27 Feb 2023 19:12:53 GMT
Marilyn Manson’s accuser recanted her accusations against the musician. Image Source: People

Marilyn Manson’s accuser recanted her accusations against the musician.

Ashley Morgan Smithline appeared on the cover of People magazine in May 2021 with the headline "I survived a monster," accusing Marilyn Manson of exploiting her, adding that he'd tied her up as she slept, drank her blood, and craved his initials into her thigh.

Along with the photo of her scar, Ashley Morgan asserted that she was deluded, which makes her sickened. But now, according to a declaration filed in Los Angeles Superior Court on Thursday, she is now reevaluating the allegations. The model asserted that the claims she originally posted on her social media in February 2021 contained inaccurate claims about Marilyn Manson, such as abuse and non-consensual sex acts during their short relationship.

Ashley stated that she was manipulated by Marilyn Manson's ex-girlfriend, Evan Rachel Wood, to accuse him of those acts, even though there was no branding or cutting during their relationship and no "Marilyn Manson" initials carved on her body. Evan Rachel Wood has publicly accused him of physical and emotional abuse during their four-year relationship. Ashley Morgan claimed that Evan Rachel Wood and others, including Evan Wood's girlfriend Illma Gore, tricked her into taking part in a propaganda campaign against Marilyn Manson

Along with the People cover shoot, Ashley Morgan Smithline emerged on "The View" and decided to file a federal lawsuit against Manson, trying to accuse him of violent sexual abuse. Her attorney, Jay Ellwanger, decided to withdraw from the case in January because of a dispute in the attorney-client relationship. Ashley Smithline now claims that having heard the accounts of Evan Rachel Wood and Esme Bianco, another Manson accuser, reassured her to make the erroneous allegations.

Ashley Morgan Smithline says she was manipulated by Evan Rachel Wood. Image Source: Louder Sound

The model claims that when she initially spoke with Evan Rachel Wood in 2020, she denied of been abused by the musician, however Evan Wood told her she must have "repressed" her flashbacks noting that she's been brainwashed. Ashley explained that eventually, she began to think that what had happened to Evan Rachel Wood and Esme Bianco had also did happen to her but she never intended to file a criminal complaint against Marilyn Manson and has no further actual intent now of ever pursuing criminal charges, Marilyn Manson did not ever assault or abuse her.

Ashley Morgan Smithline claims that she knew Marilyn Manson did not do such things with her at first but sooner or later she began to doubt as to if he did. She mentioned that she was inquired whether she was trying to suppress memories to just get through day-to-day life, or whether it's easier simply to not think about what truly occurred than accept reality. They also stated that individuals needed to move forward so that no one else was harmed. The model-actress said that in retrospect, she believes she was duped by Evan Rachel Wood, Illma Gore, Esmé Bianco, and Jay Ellwanger into publicly spreading false accusations of abuse against Marilyn Manson.

Evan Rachel Wood's representative denied Ashley Morgan Smithline's claims stating that Evan never pressured or manipulated Ashley but in fact, it was Ashley who first approached Evan about the abuse she had endured. Unfortunately, Ashley's testimony appears to have been influenced by the harassment and threats she received after filing her federal lawsuit.

Ashley Smithline also claimed that Jay Ellwanger filed the suit without consulting her and that he was one of those who pushed her to make the false allegations. Jay Ellwanger denied the allegations in an email to Variety and said that his response is constrained by ethical obligations regarding client confidentiality but he can say clearly and unequivocally and verifiably that the accusations made in the Declaration regarding his representation of Ashley Morgan Smithline are false.

Evan Rachel Wood, Ashley Morgan Smithline and Esmé Bianco. Image Source: Yahoo

Marilyn Manson is now suing Evan Rachel Wood and Illma Gore for defamation, claiming that they purposefully harmed his career by making false accusations of abuse. Manson also accuses them of enlisting the help of other women to make false accusations against him. Manson’s attorney, Howard King, said in a statement that as they have always said, the coordinated campaign of #MeToo lies against Brian Warner is going to go down as one of the greatest hoaxes of all time adding that vulnerable women were manipulated by unscrupulous individuals seeking to build their brands and pursue their vendettas. This sworn testimony proves it.

King also claims that the attorney who represented Smithline in her civil suit against Manson, Jay Ellwanger, was provided to her by Esmé Bianco, the woman who was suing Manson for sexual assault. The attorney also informs Page Six that Smithline was not paid for speaking out in favor of his client and also against Evan Rachel Wood, which the model confirms in her statement. Ashley said that she has never received funds from the musician and will not seek finances from him adding that she has no strategies to file a new lawsuit against Marilyn Manson.

Evan Wood and IllmaGore's attorneys have filed a motion to dismiss the claims under California's anti-SLAPP statute, claiming that the suit is an attempt to chill free speech on a matter of public interest. Their attorneys have also claimed that there is no evidence that Evan Rachel Wood or Illma Gore put anyone under duress to make false accusations.

The District Attorney's Office in Los Angeles is still contemplating whether to charge Marilyn Manson with alleged offenses perpetrated in West Hollywood between 2009 and 2011. Because the limitation period in California for rape is ten years, prosecuting Marilyn Manson for those sexual offenses may be too late.




RELATED ARTICLES