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Marilyn Manson settles a rape lawsuit with a Jane Doe litigant just a week before the trial was scheduled to begin.
Only a week before the associated trial was scheduled to begin, Marilyn Manson has settled a sexual assault lawsuit filed by an anonymous Jane Doe in 2021. Jane Doe’s attorney, Adam Wolf, filed the notice of settlement on Wednesday, September 27, and a request to dismiss the case will be filed within 45 days. The terms of the settlement have not been made public.
The initial complaint alleged that Marilyn Manson, whose real name is Brian Warner, held her captive in his home in 2011, where he raped her, deprived her of food, and threatened her. Warner and his attorney, Howard King, have long denied any such accusations.
“Brian is pleased that, just as previous lawsuits were abandoned without payment or settled for pennies on the dollar, this plaintiff has now agreed to drop her suit in exchange for an insurance payment representing a fraction of her demands and far less than the cost to Brian of proceeding to trial,” shared King.
Jane Doe shared her own statement explaining her reasons for settling the case, as shared with Pitchfork through her attorney. “I was fully prepared for a trial and never in a million years thought I would ever settle, but over the past two and a half years I have silently endured threats, bullying, harassment, and various forms of intimidation that have intensified over the past few weeks.”
“Marilyn Manson attended by deposition, and I was forced to answer seven hours of aggressive questioning with him staring at me from across the table,” she continues. “I’ve been told that this almost never happens, as it’s cruel, and that a main reason for it would be to intimidate and inflict emotional distress on a victim.”
She explains that had they gone to trial, Jane Doe could have lost her anonymity on a public scale and endured even more victim-blaming and harassment. “More importantly, I could have risked losing the freedom to tell my story, and that is worth more than anything in the world.” She concludes by assuring “any other victims” reading her statement that they are loved and supported even when it doesn’t feel that way, and she doesn’t regret speaking up about her experiences.
“I am honored to have supported Ms. Doe,” says her attorney, Adam Wolf, in a statement. “My law firm stands with those who bravely push back against misconduct in all forms, especially by high-profile, powerful men. We are dedicated to fighting for justice, no matter how long it takes. You are not alone.”
Marilyn Manson settled another rape lawsuit earlier this year, filed by actress Esmé Bianco of Game of Thrones fame. He was also sued by another Jane Doe this year who alleged abuse and grooming that began while she was a minor in the ‘90s.
Meanwhile, Ashley Morgan Smithline’s lawsuit against the singer was dismissed when she recanted her allegations and accused his former girlfriend, Evan Rachel Wood, of pressuring her to make the accusations. Manson’s defamation lawsuit against Evan Rachel Wood is still ongoing, although a judge dismissed a large portion of it in May.
