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Judge rejects LA model’s sexual abuse lawsuit against Marilyn Manson
The Industry Jan 04, 2023
Marilyn Manson. | Photo courtesy of Luca De Santis/Flickr (CC BY 2.0)
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A federal judge dismissed a sexual abuse lawsuit filed against Marilyn Manson by one of several accusers after the Los Angeles model failed to replace her former lawyer, according to court papers obtained Wednesday.
Ashley Morgan Smithline accused the rocker in a June 2021 lawsuit of raping and abusing her during their two-year relationship.
U.S. District Judge Fernando L. Aenlle-Rocha dismissed the lawsuit without prejudice, meaning Smithline can refile the complaint at a later time. She had been given until last month to replace the attorney she fired in October or to decide to represent herself, but did not notify the court of any action in time to meet the deadline, according to the dismissal order filed late Tuesday in Los Angeles federal court.
Smithline had accused Manson, whose real name is Brian Warner, of sexually assaulting her multiple times in 2010.
Howard King, an attorney for Manson, applauded Smithline for “dismissing her claims” against Manson “without seeking or receiving anything in return.”
He said in a statement that Smithline “has refused to be manipulated by others who are trying to pursue their own agendas against Mr. Warner. We wish her well and will continue to work to assure that a significant price will be paid by those who have tried to abuse our legal system.”
Manson has denied Smithline’s allegations, claiming his relationship with the model lasted less than a week and there was no abuse.
The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department announced in September that it turned over its investigation of sexual assault allegations against Manson to the District Attorney’s Office for consideration of possible criminal charges.
The Sheriff’s Department’s Special Victims Bureau completed a 19-month investigation into Manson, according to the department. The bureau investigates sexual and physical abuse cases of children and felonious sexual assaults involving adult victims.
Manson, 53, has repeatedly denied wrongdoing in the face of assault allegations brought by several women.
Manson was also sued in April 2021 in federal court by “Game of Thrones” actress Esmé Bianco for alleged sexual assault and sexual battery in what she described as a series of violent encounters.
According to the lawsuit, Bianco was invited to Los Angeles from the United Kingdom by Manson with the promise of work, and after moving into the Goth rocker’s West Hollywood apartment in 2011, she was not allowed to eat, sleep or leave without his permission.
The Bianco case has been placed on hold, according to a filing by Aenlle-Rocha, who is also overseeing the Smithline suit.
A lawsuit in which Manson is suing actress Evan Rachel Wood and her former girlfriend, Illma Gore, for intentional infliction of emotional stress, defamation and other allegations is pending in Los Angeles Superior Court.
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