Judge may allow more discovery in Manson’s defamation case

A judge has indicated she is poised to allow Marilyn Manson to allow additional discovery ahead of hearing motions by former girlfriend Evan Rachel Wood and a second woman to dismiss defamation and intentional infliction of emotional distress allegations the singer filed against them.

In his suit filed March 2, Manson alleges Wood and her co-defendant, Ashley Gore — who the suit describes as the actress’ “on-again, off-again romantic partner” — falsely portrayed him as a “a rapist and abuser,” derailing his “successful music, TV and film career.”

In a tentative ruling issued late Monday, Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Teresa A. Beaudet says she is inclined to allow some of the additional discovery the “Wrapped in Plastic” rocker’s attorneys seek, specifically a deposition of Gore to probe the legal concepts of state of mind/intent and actual malice.

The judge is scheduled to hear arguments later Tuesday before issuing a final ruling.

According to Manson’s suit, the allegedly false sexual abuse allegations against him prompted his record label and manager to drop him and he also lost his role in the television show “American Gods.”

The suit alleges Gore, who is also known as Illma Gore, had multiple conversations with prospective “accusers” against the singer in which she claimed that a 1996 short film made by Manson called “Groupie” depicted child abuse and child pornography. During one such conversation in 2021, Gore said the actress in “Groupie” was a minor at the time of the shoot and was dead, and that, if the video were to be seen, Manson would be indicted, according to the suit.

The 53-year-old Manson says he and Wood, now 35, met in 2006 and had a romantic relationship that lasted four years. Wood’s accusations against Manson of “abuse, assault, rape, threats and the like are unequivocally false,” Manson says in his court papers.

Manson alleges Wood and Gore forged and distributed a phony letter from a supposed FBI agent to create the false appearance that Manson’s alleged victims and their families were in danger.

In April, Wood’s attorneys filed court papers seeking dismissal of parts of Manson’s complaint against her, citing free-speech grounds. In her own sworn declaration, Wood, 34, says that during the course of the relationship, Manson “raped me, tortured me, tied me up, beat me, starved me, deprived me of sleep and shocked sensitive parts of my body.”

On May 24, Gore filed her own anti-SLAPP — Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation — motion based on a law that is intended to prevent people from using courts, and potential threats of a lawsuit, to intimidate those who are exercising their First Amendment rights.

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