Marilyn Manson will not face criminal charges in a series of sexual assault and domestic violence allegations, Los Angeles County prosecutors said Friday.
The musician, whose real name is Brian Warner, had been under investigation by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department since 2021 after several women came forward to accuse him of rape and abuse. His accusers included “Westworld” actress Evan Rachel Wood and “Game of Thrones” actress Esme Bianco.
Dist. Atty. Nathan Hochman said in a statement Friday that the statute of limitations had run out on the domestic violence allegations and that prosecutors did not believe they could prove the rape charges beyond a reasonable doubt.
“We recognize and applaud the courage and resilience of the women who came forward to make reports and share their experiences, and we thank them for their cooperation and patience with the investigation,” Hochman said in a statement. “While we are unable to bring charges in this matter, we recognize that the strong advocacy of the women involved has helped bring greater awareness to the challenges faced by survivors of domestic abuse and sexual assault.”
The district attorney’s office did not immediately respond to a request for further details on the decision. Warner’s attorney could not immediately be reached for comment.
In a statement to The Times, Bianco said, “Whilst I am deeply disappointed by the decision of the District Attorney to not bring charges in the case against Brian Warner, I am sadly not surprised. Within our toxic culture of victim blaming; a lack of understanding of coercive control, the complex nature of sexual assault within intimate partnerships, and statutes of limitations that do not support the realities of healing; prosecutions face an oftentimes insurmountable hurdle. Once again, our justice system has failed survivors.”
Allegations against Warner first surfaced in 2021 after Bianco sued Manson, alleging sexual assault, sexual battery and human trafficking. The two settled Bianco’s lawsuit in 2023. The same year, Manson settled a suit with an anonymous Jane Doe who also alleged rape.
Wood, who was in a romantic relationship with Warner for years, has levied perhaps the most detailed allegations against Warner, claiming the singer first assaulted her during a simulated sex scene on a music video shoot in 2007 and then proceeded to “groom” her for years.
A former assistant, Ashley Walters, also sued Manson, alleging harassment and assault.
L.A. County Sheriff’s Department investigators raided Manson’s mansion in 2021 and presented a case to the district attorney’s office in 2022. The accusers grew frustrated as years went by without a filing decision, and Bianco and Hochman held a press conference lambasting former Dist. Atty. George Gascón’s handling of the case last year.
“Almost four years ago, I did what victims of rape are ‘supposed’ to do — I went to the police,” Bianco said in a statement issued by Hochman’s campaign last year. “Despite a thorough investigation and hundreds of pieces of evidence being submitted to the District Attorney’s office, I am still waiting for justice. In the meantime, I have received death threats, while my abuser continues to perform publicly.”
Gascón said last October that “new evidence” had come forward in the case but did not detail what it was.
Hochman did not immediately respond to a question about the past campaign event.
For accusers and activists pushing for a Manson prosecution, the news is “a huge disappointment,” said Caroline Heldman, who organized rallies supporting Manson accusers, including one at Manson’s recent show in Anaheim.
“Dist. Atty. Nathan Hochman held a press conference with Manson survivors, and they had high hopes he’d take their claims seriously,” Heldman said. “But now it looks like he was using survivors for a publicity stunt. It’s a slap in the face and exhibit A for why the legal system doesn’t work for survivors, especially if they’re a survivor of a famous person.”
Manson’s rise to fame occurred in the mid-1990s, built partly on an extreme stage persona who courted controversy and spawned albums such as “Antichrist Superstar” in 1996.
In May 2018, when Jackie Lacey was district attorney, the office declined to file charges against Manson that included rape of an unconscious person, assault with a deadly weapon and battery in connection with an Oct. 25, 2011, incident, according to records.
“The victim was acquainted socially with the suspect,” wrote Deputy Dist. Atty. Darci Purvis in a heavily redacted memo that explained why charges were not filed. She cited the statute of limitations on the assault and battery and an “absence of corroboration” on the sexual assault allegation.
In September 2022, after a 19-month sexual abuse investigation into Manson by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Special Victims Bureau, the case was sent to prosecutors for a filing decision. Investigators had previously served a search warrant at the musician’s home in November 2021.
“The incidents occurred between 2009 and 2011 when Mr. Warner lived in the city of West Hollywood,” sheriff’s investigators said initially last year.
Upon receiving the case, then-D.A. Gascón said his office was “committed to investing in trauma-informed care for all victims of sexual assault, abuse, and intimate partner violence. We understand how difficult it may be to come forward as a victim, especially when the case involves this level of notoriety, and are dedicated to treating all victims with the highest level of care and respect.”
Last October, Gascón reignited interest in the case declaring, “new evidence has emerged… adding to an already extensive case file presented to our office.”
The move infuriated Bianco, who accused Gascón of mishandling the case.
Bianco said at the time that she had waited for more than two years for Gascón to decide whether to file criminal charges against Manson. She also said that Gascón has refused to speak with her about the case.
Wood, the “Westworld” star, was in a relationship with Manson during the time of the allegations. She became engaged to the singer in 2010 but they later split up.
“He started grooming me when I was a teenager and horrifically abused me for years,” Wood wrote in messages posted to Instagram. “I was brainwashed and manipulated into submission. I am done living in fear of retaliation, slander, or blackmail.”
In 2018, as the #MeToo movement rose, Wood testified to a congressional committee about the horrific abuse she suffered at the hands of an unnamed former partner. Manson has denied the allegations but was dropped by his record label as the number of allegations grew.
Marilyn Manson will not face criminal charges in a series of sexual assault and domestic violence allegations, Los Angeles County prosecutors said Friday.
The musician, whose real name is Brian Warner, had been under investigation by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department since 2021 after several women came forward to accuse him of rape and abuse. His accusers included “Westworld” actress Evan Rachel Wood and “Game of Thrones” actress Esme Bianco.
Dist. Atty. Nathan Hochman said in a statement Friday that the statute of limitations had run out on the domestic violence allegations and that prosecutors did not believe they could prove the rape charges beyond a reasonable doubt.
“We recognize and applaud the courage and resilience of the women who came forward to make reports and share their experiences, and we thank them for their cooperation and patience with the investigation,” Hochman said in a statement. “While we are unable to bring charges in this matter, we recognize that the strong advocacy of the women involved has helped bring greater awareness to the challenges faced by survivors of domestic abuse and sexual assault.”
The district attorney’s office did not immediately respond to a request for further details on the decision. Warner’s attorney could not immediately be reached for comment.
In a statement to The Times, Bianco said, “Whilst I am deeply disappointed by the decision of the District Attorney to not bring charges in the case against Brian Warner, I am sadly not surprised. Within our toxic culture of victim blaming; a lack of understanding of coercive control, the complex nature of sexual assault within intimate partnerships, and statutes of limitations that do not support the realities of healing; prosecutions face an oftentimes insurmountable hurdle. Once again, our justice system has failed survivors.”
Allegations against Warner first surfaced in 2021 after Bianco sued Manson, alleging sexual assault, sexual battery and human trafficking. The two settled Bianco’s lawsuit in 2023. The same year, Manson settled a suit with an anonymous Jane Doe who also alleged rape.
Wood, who was in a romantic relationship with Warner for years, has levied perhaps the most detailed allegations against Warner, claiming the singer first assaulted her during a simulated sex scene on a music video shoot in 2007 and then proceeded to “groom” her for years.
A former assistant, Ashley Walters, also sued Manson, alleging harassment and assault.
L.A. County Sheriff’s Department investigators raided Manson’s mansion in 2021 and presented a case to the district attorney’s office in 2022. The accusers grew frustrated as years went by without a filing decision, and Bianco and Hochman held a press conference lambasting former Dist. Atty. George Gascón’s handling of the case last year.
“Almost four years ago, I did what victims of rape are ‘supposed’ to do — I went to the police,” Bianco said in a statement issued by Hochman’s campaign last year. “Despite a thorough investigation and hundreds of pieces of evidence being submitted to the District Attorney’s office, I am still waiting for justice. In the meantime, I have received death threats, while my abuser continues to perform publicly.”
Gascón said last October that “new evidence” had come forward in the case but did not detail what it was.
Hochman did not immediately respond to a question about the past campaign event.
For accusers and activists pushing for a Manson prosecution, the news is “a huge disappointment,” said Caroline Heldman, who organized rallies supporting Manson accusers, including one at Manson’s recent show in Anaheim.
“Dist. Atty. Nathan Hochman held a press conference with Manson survivors, and they had high hopes he’d take their claims seriously,” Heldman said. “But now it looks like he was using survivors for a publicity stunt. It’s a slap in the face and exhibit A for why the legal system doesn’t work for survivors, especially if they’re a survivor of a famous person.”
Manson’s rise to fame occurred in the mid-1990s, built partly on an extreme stage persona who courted controversy and spawned albums such as “Antichrist Superstar” in 1996.
In May 2018, when Jackie Lacey was district attorney, the office declined to file charges against Manson that included rape of an unconscious person, assault with a deadly weapon and battery in connection with an Oct. 25, 2011, incident, according to records.
“The victim was acquainted socially with the suspect,” wrote Deputy Dist. Atty. Darci Purvis in a heavily redacted memo that explained why charges were not filed. She cited the statute of limitations on the assault and battery and an “absence of corroboration” on the sexual assault allegation.
In September 2022, after a 19-month sexual abuse investigation into Manson by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Special Victims Bureau, the case was sent to prosecutors for a filing decision. Investigators had previously served a search warrant at the musician’s home in November 2021.
“The incidents occurred between 2009 and 2011 when Mr. Warner lived in the city of West Hollywood,” sheriff’s investigators said initially last year.
Upon receiving the case, then-D.A. Gascón said his office was “committed to investing in trauma-informed care for all victims of sexual assault, abuse, and intimate partner violence. We understand how difficult it may be to come forward as a victim, especially when the case involves this level of notoriety, and are dedicated to treating all victims with the highest level of care and respect.”
Last October, Gascón reignited interest in the case declaring, “new evidence has emerged… adding to an already extensive case file presented to our office.”
The move infuriated Bianco, who accused Gascón of mishandling the case.
Bianco said at the time that she had waited for more than two years for Gascón to decide whether to file criminal charges against Manson. She also said that Gascón has refused to speak with her about the case.
Wood, the “Westworld” star, was in a relationship with Manson during the time of the allegations. She became engaged to the singer in 2010 but they later split up.
“He started grooming me when I was a teenager and horrifically abused me for years,” Wood wrote in messages posted to Instagram. “I was brainwashed and manipulated into submission. I am done living in fear of retaliation, slander, or blackmail.”
In 2018, as the #MeToo movement rose, Wood testified to a congressional committee about the horrific abuse she suffered at the hands of an unnamed former partner. Manson has denied the allegations but was dropped by his record label as the number of allegations grew.
Marilyn Manson will not face criminal charges in a series of sexual assault and domestic violence allegations, Los Angeles County prosecutors said Friday.
The musician, whose real name is Brian Warner, had been under investigation by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department since 2021 after several women came forward to accuse him of rape and abuse. His accusers included “Westworld” actress Evan Rachel Wood and “Game of Thrones” actress Esme Bianco.
Dist. Atty. Nathan Hochman said in a statement Friday that the statute of limitations had run out on the domestic violence allegations and that prosecutors did not believe they could prove the rape charges beyond a reasonable doubt.
“We recognize and applaud the courage and resilience of the women who came forward to make reports and share their experiences, and we thank them for their cooperation and patience with the investigation,” Hochman said in a statement. “While we are unable to bring charges in this matter, we recognize that the strong advocacy of the women involved has helped bring greater awareness to the challenges faced by survivors of domestic abuse and sexual assault.”
The district attorney’s office did not immediately respond to a request for further details on the decision. Warner’s attorney could not immediately be reached for comment.
In a statement to The Times, Bianco said, “Whilst I am deeply disappointed by the decision of the District Attorney to not bring charges in the case against Brian Warner, I am sadly not surprised. Within our toxic culture of victim blaming; a lack of understanding of coercive control, the complex nature of sexual assault within intimate partnerships, and statutes of limitations that do not support the realities of healing; prosecutions face an oftentimes insurmountable hurdle. Once again, our justice system has failed survivors.”
Allegations against Warner first surfaced in 2021 after Bianco sued Manson, alleging sexual assault, sexual battery and human trafficking. The two settled Bianco’s lawsuit in 2023. The same year, Manson settled a suit with an anonymous Jane Doe who also alleged rape.
Wood, who was in a romantic relationship with Warner for years, has levied perhaps the most detailed allegations against Warner, claiming the singer first assaulted her during a simulated sex scene on a music video shoot in 2007 and then proceeded to “groom” her for years.
A former assistant, Ashley Walters, also sued Manson, alleging harassment and assault.
L.A. County Sheriff’s Department investigators raided Manson’s mansion in 2021 and presented a case to the district attorney’s office in 2022. The accusers grew frustrated as years went by without a filing decision, and Bianco and Hochman held a press conference lambasting former Dist. Atty. George Gascón’s handling of the case last year.
“Almost four years ago, I did what victims of rape are ‘supposed’ to do — I went to the police,” Bianco said in a statement issued by Hochman’s campaign last year. “Despite a thorough investigation and hundreds of pieces of evidence being submitted to the District Attorney’s office, I am still waiting for justice. In the meantime, I have received death threats, while my abuser continues to perform publicly.”
Gascón said last October that “new evidence” had come forward in the case but did not detail what it was.
Hochman did not immediately respond to a question about the past campaign event.
For accusers and activists pushing for a Manson prosecution, the news is “a huge disappointment,” said Caroline Heldman, who organized rallies supporting Manson accusers, including one at Manson’s recent show in Anaheim.
“Dist. Atty. Nathan Hochman held a press conference with Manson survivors, and they had high hopes he’d take their claims seriously,” Heldman said. “But now it looks like he was using survivors for a publicity stunt. It’s a slap in the face and exhibit A for why the legal system doesn’t work for survivors, especially if they’re a survivor of a famous person.”
Manson’s rise to fame occurred in the mid-1990s, built partly on an extreme stage persona who courted controversy and spawned albums such as “Antichrist Superstar” in 1996.
In May 2018, when Jackie Lacey was district attorney, the office declined to file charges against Manson that included rape of an unconscious person, assault with a deadly weapon and battery in connection with an Oct. 25, 2011, incident, according to records.
“The victim was acquainted socially with the suspect,” wrote Deputy Dist. Atty. Darci Purvis in a heavily redacted memo that explained why charges were not filed. She cited the statute of limitations on the assault and battery and an “absence of corroboration” on the sexual assault allegation.
In September 2022, after a 19-month sexual abuse investigation into Manson by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Special Victims Bureau, the case was sent to prosecutors for a filing decision. Investigators had previously served a search warrant at the musician’s home in November 2021.
“The incidents occurred between 2009 and 2011 when Mr. Warner lived in the city of West Hollywood,” sheriff’s investigators said initially last year.
Upon receiving the case, then-D.A. Gascón said his office was “committed to investing in trauma-informed care for all victims of sexual assault, abuse, and intimate partner violence. We understand how difficult it may be to come forward as a victim, especially when the case involves this level of notoriety, and are dedicated to treating all victims with the highest level of care and respect.”
Last October, Gascón reignited interest in the case declaring, “new evidence has emerged… adding to an already extensive case file presented to our office.”
The move infuriated Bianco, who accused Gascón of mishandling the case.
Bianco said at the time that she had waited for more than two years for Gascón to decide whether to file criminal charges against Manson. She also said that Gascón has refused to speak with her about the case.
Wood, the “Westworld” star, was in a relationship with Manson during the time of the allegations. She became engaged to the singer in 2010 but they later split up.
“He started grooming me when I was a teenager and horrifically abused me for years,” Wood wrote in messages posted to Instagram. “I was brainwashed and manipulated into submission. I am done living in fear of retaliation, slander, or blackmail.”
In 2018, as the #MeToo movement rose, Wood testified to a congressional committee about the horrific abuse she suffered at the hands of an unnamed former partner. Manson has denied the allegations but was dropped by his record label as the number of allegations grew.
Marilyn Manson will not face criminal charges in a series of sexual assault and domestic violence allegations, Los Angeles County prosecutors said Friday.
The musician, whose real name is Brian Warner, had been under investigation by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department since 2021 after several women came forward to accuse him of rape and abuse. His accusers included “Westworld” actress Evan Rachel Wood and “Game of Thrones” actress Esme Bianco.
Dist. Atty. Nathan Hochman said in a statement Friday that the statute of limitations had run out on the domestic violence allegations and that prosecutors did not believe they could prove the rape charges beyond a reasonable doubt.
“We recognize and applaud the courage and resilience of the women who came forward to make reports and share their experiences, and we thank them for their cooperation and patience with the investigation,” Hochman said in a statement. “While we are unable to bring charges in this matter, we recognize that the strong advocacy of the women involved has helped bring greater awareness to the challenges faced by survivors of domestic abuse and sexual assault.”
The district attorney’s office did not immediately respond to a request for further details on the decision. Warner’s attorney could not immediately be reached for comment.
In a statement to The Times, Bianco said, “Whilst I am deeply disappointed by the decision of the District Attorney to not bring charges in the case against Brian Warner, I am sadly not surprised. Within our toxic culture of victim blaming; a lack of understanding of coercive control, the complex nature of sexual assault within intimate partnerships, and statutes of limitations that do not support the realities of healing; prosecutions face an oftentimes insurmountable hurdle. Once again, our justice system has failed survivors.”
Allegations against Warner first surfaced in 2021 after Bianco sued Manson, alleging sexual assault, sexual battery and human trafficking. The two settled Bianco’s lawsuit in 2023. The same year, Manson settled a suit with an anonymous Jane Doe who also alleged rape.
Wood, who was in a romantic relationship with Warner for years, has levied perhaps the most detailed allegations against Warner, claiming the singer first assaulted her during a simulated sex scene on a music video shoot in 2007 and then proceeded to “groom” her for years.
A former assistant, Ashley Walters, also sued Manson, alleging harassment and assault.
L.A. County Sheriff’s Department investigators raided Manson’s mansion in 2021 and presented a case to the district attorney’s office in 2022. The accusers grew frustrated as years went by without a filing decision, and Bianco and Hochman held a press conference lambasting former Dist. Atty. George Gascón’s handling of the case last year.
“Almost four years ago, I did what victims of rape are ‘supposed’ to do — I went to the police,” Bianco said in a statement issued by Hochman’s campaign last year. “Despite a thorough investigation and hundreds of pieces of evidence being submitted to the District Attorney’s office, I am still waiting for justice. In the meantime, I have received death threats, while my abuser continues to perform publicly.”
Gascón said last October that “new evidence” had come forward in the case but did not detail what it was.
Hochman did not immediately respond to a question about the past campaign event.
For accusers and activists pushing for a Manson prosecution, the news is “a huge disappointment,” said Caroline Heldman, who organized rallies supporting Manson accusers, including one at Manson’s recent show in Anaheim.
“Dist. Atty. Nathan Hochman held a press conference with Manson survivors, and they had high hopes he’d take their claims seriously,” Heldman said. “But now it looks like he was using survivors for a publicity stunt. It’s a slap in the face and exhibit A for why the legal system doesn’t work for survivors, especially if they’re a survivor of a famous person.”
Manson’s rise to fame occurred in the mid-1990s, built partly on an extreme stage persona who courted controversy and spawned albums such as “Antichrist Superstar” in 1996.
In May 2018, when Jackie Lacey was district attorney, the office declined to file charges against Manson that included rape of an unconscious person, assault with a deadly weapon and battery in connection with an Oct. 25, 2011, incident, according to records.
“The victim was acquainted socially with the suspect,” wrote Deputy Dist. Atty. Darci Purvis in a heavily redacted memo that explained why charges were not filed. She cited the statute of limitations on the assault and battery and an “absence of corroboration” on the sexual assault allegation.
In September 2022, after a 19-month sexual abuse investigation into Manson by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Special Victims Bureau, the case was sent to prosecutors for a filing decision. Investigators had previously served a search warrant at the musician’s home in November 2021.
“The incidents occurred between 2009 and 2011 when Mr. Warner lived in the city of West Hollywood,” sheriff’s investigators said initially last year.
Upon receiving the case, then-D.A. Gascón said his office was “committed to investing in trauma-informed care for all victims of sexual assault, abuse, and intimate partner violence. We understand how difficult it may be to come forward as a victim, especially when the case involves this level of notoriety, and are dedicated to treating all victims with the highest level of care and respect.”
Last October, Gascón reignited interest in the case declaring, “new evidence has emerged… adding to an already extensive case file presented to our office.”
The move infuriated Bianco, who accused Gascón of mishandling the case.
Bianco said at the time that she had waited for more than two years for Gascón to decide whether to file criminal charges against Manson. She also said that Gascón has refused to speak with her about the case.
Wood, the “Westworld” star, was in a relationship with Manson during the time of the allegations. She became engaged to the singer in 2010 but they later split up.
“He started grooming me when I was a teenager and horrifically abused me for years,” Wood wrote in messages posted to Instagram. “I was brainwashed and manipulated into submission. I am done living in fear of retaliation, slander, or blackmail.”
In 2018, as the #MeToo movement rose, Wood testified to a congressional committee about the horrific abuse she suffered at the hands of an unnamed former partner. Manson has denied the allegations but was dropped by his record label as the number of allegations grew.
Marilyn Manson will not face criminal charges in a series of sexual assault and domestic violence allegations, Los Angeles County prosecutors said Friday.
The musician, whose real name is Brian Warner, had been under investigation by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department since 2021 after several women came forward to accuse him of rape and abuse. His accusers included “Westworld” actress Evan Rachel Wood and “Game of Thrones” actress Esme Bianco.
Dist. Atty. Nathan Hochman said in a statement Friday that the statute of limitations had run out on the domestic violence allegations and that prosecutors did not believe they could prove the rape charges beyond a reasonable doubt.
“We recognize and applaud the courage and resilience of the women who came forward to make reports and share their experiences, and we thank them for their cooperation and patience with the investigation,” Hochman said in a statement. “While we are unable to bring charges in this matter, we recognize that the strong advocacy of the women involved has helped bring greater awareness to the challenges faced by survivors of domestic abuse and sexual assault.”
The district attorney’s office did not immediately respond to a request for further details on the decision. Warner’s attorney could not immediately be reached for comment.
In a statement to The Times, Bianco said, “Whilst I am deeply disappointed by the decision of the District Attorney to not bring charges in the case against Brian Warner, I am sadly not surprised. Within our toxic culture of victim blaming; a lack of understanding of coercive control, the complex nature of sexual assault within intimate partnerships, and statutes of limitations that do not support the realities of healing; prosecutions face an oftentimes insurmountable hurdle. Once again, our justice system has failed survivors.”
Allegations against Warner first surfaced in 2021 after Bianco sued Manson, alleging sexual assault, sexual battery and human trafficking. The two settled Bianco’s lawsuit in 2023. The same year, Manson settled a suit with an anonymous Jane Doe who also alleged rape.
Wood, who was in a romantic relationship with Warner for years, has levied perhaps the most detailed allegations against Warner, claiming the singer first assaulted her during a simulated sex scene on a music video shoot in 2007 and then proceeded to “groom” her for years.
A former assistant, Ashley Walters, also sued Manson, alleging harassment and assault.
L.A. County Sheriff’s Department investigators raided Manson’s mansion in 2021 and presented a case to the district attorney’s office in 2022. The accusers grew frustrated as years went by without a filing decision, and Bianco and Hochman held a press conference lambasting former Dist. Atty. George Gascón’s handling of the case last year.
“Almost four years ago, I did what victims of rape are ‘supposed’ to do — I went to the police,” Bianco said in a statement issued by Hochman’s campaign last year. “Despite a thorough investigation and hundreds of pieces of evidence being submitted to the District Attorney’s office, I am still waiting for justice. In the meantime, I have received death threats, while my abuser continues to perform publicly.”
Gascón said last October that “new evidence” had come forward in the case but did not detail what it was.
Hochman did not immediately respond to a question about the past campaign event.
For accusers and activists pushing for a Manson prosecution, the news is “a huge disappointment,” said Caroline Heldman, who organized rallies supporting Manson accusers, including one at Manson’s recent show in Anaheim.
“Dist. Atty. Nathan Hochman held a press conference with Manson survivors, and they had high hopes he’d take their claims seriously,” Heldman said. “But now it looks like he was using survivors for a publicity stunt. It’s a slap in the face and exhibit A for why the legal system doesn’t work for survivors, especially if they’re a survivor of a famous person.”
Manson’s rise to fame occurred in the mid-1990s, built partly on an extreme stage persona who courted controversy and spawned albums such as “Antichrist Superstar” in 1996.
In May 2018, when Jackie Lacey was district attorney, the office declined to file charges against Manson that included rape of an unconscious person, assault with a deadly weapon and battery in connection with an Oct. 25, 2011, incident, according to records.
“The victim was acquainted socially with the suspect,” wrote Deputy Dist. Atty. Darci Purvis in a heavily redacted memo that explained why charges were not filed. She cited the statute of limitations on the assault and battery and an “absence of corroboration” on the sexual assault allegation.
In September 2022, after a 19-month sexual abuse investigation into Manson by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Special Victims Bureau, the case was sent to prosecutors for a filing decision. Investigators had previously served a search warrant at the musician’s home in November 2021.
“The incidents occurred between 2009 and 2011 when Mr. Warner lived in the city of West Hollywood,” sheriff’s investigators said initially last year.
Upon receiving the case, then-D.A. Gascón said his office was “committed to investing in trauma-informed care for all victims of sexual assault, abuse, and intimate partner violence. We understand how difficult it may be to come forward as a victim, especially when the case involves this level of notoriety, and are dedicated to treating all victims with the highest level of care and respect.”
Last October, Gascón reignited interest in the case declaring, “new evidence has emerged… adding to an already extensive case file presented to our office.”
The move infuriated Bianco, who accused Gascón of mishandling the case.
Bianco said at the time that she had waited for more than two years for Gascón to decide whether to file criminal charges against Manson. She also said that Gascón has refused to speak with her about the case.
Wood, the “Westworld” star, was in a relationship with Manson during the time of the allegations. She became engaged to the singer in 2010 but they later split up.
“He started grooming me when I was a teenager and horrifically abused me for years,” Wood wrote in messages posted to Instagram. “I was brainwashed and manipulated into submission. I am done living in fear of retaliation, slander, or blackmail.”
In 2018, as the #MeToo movement rose, Wood testified to a congressional committee about the horrific abuse she suffered at the hands of an unnamed former partner. Manson has denied the allegations but was dropped by his record label as the number of allegations grew.
Marilyn Manson will not face criminal charges in a series of sexual assault and domestic violence allegations, Los Angeles County prosecutors said Friday.
The musician, whose real name is Brian Warner, had been under investigation by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department since 2021 after several women came forward to accuse him of rape and abuse. His accusers included “Westworld” actress Evan Rachel Wood and “Game of Thrones” actress Esme Bianco.
Dist. Atty. Nathan Hochman said in a statement Friday that the statute of limitations had run out on the domestic violence allegations and that prosecutors did not believe they could prove the rape charges beyond a reasonable doubt.
“We recognize and applaud the courage and resilience of the women who came forward to make reports and share their experiences, and we thank them for their cooperation and patience with the investigation,” Hochman said in a statement. “While we are unable to bring charges in this matter, we recognize that the strong advocacy of the women involved has helped bring greater awareness to the challenges faced by survivors of domestic abuse and sexual assault.”
The district attorney’s office did not immediately respond to a request for further details on the decision. Warner’s attorney could not immediately be reached for comment.
In a statement to The Times, Bianco said, “Whilst I am deeply disappointed by the decision of the District Attorney to not bring charges in the case against Brian Warner, I am sadly not surprised. Within our toxic culture of victim blaming; a lack of understanding of coercive control, the complex nature of sexual assault within intimate partnerships, and statutes of limitations that do not support the realities of healing; prosecutions face an oftentimes insurmountable hurdle. Once again, our justice system has failed survivors.”
Allegations against Warner first surfaced in 2021 after Bianco sued Manson, alleging sexual assault, sexual battery and human trafficking. The two settled Bianco’s lawsuit in 2023. The same year, Manson settled a suit with an anonymous Jane Doe who also alleged rape.
Wood, who was in a romantic relationship with Warner for years, has levied perhaps the most detailed allegations against Warner, claiming the singer first assaulted her during a simulated sex scene on a music video shoot in 2007 and then proceeded to “groom” her for years.
A former assistant, Ashley Walters, also sued Manson, alleging harassment and assault.
L.A. County Sheriff’s Department investigators raided Manson’s mansion in 2021 and presented a case to the district attorney’s office in 2022. The accusers grew frustrated as years went by without a filing decision, and Bianco and Hochman held a press conference lambasting former Dist. Atty. George Gascón’s handling of the case last year.
“Almost four years ago, I did what victims of rape are ‘supposed’ to do — I went to the police,” Bianco said in a statement issued by Hochman’s campaign last year. “Despite a thorough investigation and hundreds of pieces of evidence being submitted to the District Attorney’s office, I am still waiting for justice. In the meantime, I have received death threats, while my abuser continues to perform publicly.”
Gascón said last October that “new evidence” had come forward in the case but did not detail what it was.
Hochman did not immediately respond to a question about the past campaign event.
For accusers and activists pushing for a Manson prosecution, the news is “a huge disappointment,” said Caroline Heldman, who organized rallies supporting Manson accusers, including one at Manson’s recent show in Anaheim.
“Dist. Atty. Nathan Hochman held a press conference with Manson survivors, and they had high hopes he’d take their claims seriously,” Heldman said. “But now it looks like he was using survivors for a publicity stunt. It’s a slap in the face and exhibit A for why the legal system doesn’t work for survivors, especially if they’re a survivor of a famous person.”
Manson’s rise to fame occurred in the mid-1990s, built partly on an extreme stage persona who courted controversy and spawned albums such as “Antichrist Superstar” in 1996.
In May 2018, when Jackie Lacey was district attorney, the office declined to file charges against Manson that included rape of an unconscious person, assault with a deadly weapon and battery in connection with an Oct. 25, 2011, incident, according to records.
“The victim was acquainted socially with the suspect,” wrote Deputy Dist. Atty. Darci Purvis in a heavily redacted memo that explained why charges were not filed. She cited the statute of limitations on the assault and battery and an “absence of corroboration” on the sexual assault allegation.
In September 2022, after a 19-month sexual abuse investigation into Manson by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Special Victims Bureau, the case was sent to prosecutors for a filing decision. Investigators had previously served a search warrant at the musician’s home in November 2021.
“The incidents occurred between 2009 and 2011 when Mr. Warner lived in the city of West Hollywood,” sheriff’s investigators said initially last year.
Upon receiving the case, then-D.A. Gascón said his office was “committed to investing in trauma-informed care for all victims of sexual assault, abuse, and intimate partner violence. We understand how difficult it may be to come forward as a victim, especially when the case involves this level of notoriety, and are dedicated to treating all victims with the highest level of care and respect.”
Last October, Gascón reignited interest in the case declaring, “new evidence has emerged… adding to an already extensive case file presented to our office.”
The move infuriated Bianco, who accused Gascón of mishandling the case.
Bianco said at the time that she had waited for more than two years for Gascón to decide whether to file criminal charges against Manson. She also said that Gascón has refused to speak with her about the case.
Wood, the “Westworld” star, was in a relationship with Manson during the time of the allegations. She became engaged to the singer in 2010 but they later split up.
“He started grooming me when I was a teenager and horrifically abused me for years,” Wood wrote in messages posted to Instagram. “I was brainwashed and manipulated into submission. I am done living in fear of retaliation, slander, or blackmail.”
In 2018, as the #MeToo movement rose, Wood testified to a congressional committee about the horrific abuse she suffered at the hands of an unnamed former partner. Manson has denied the allegations but was dropped by his record label as the number of allegations grew.
Marilyn Manson will not face criminal charges in a series of sexual assault and domestic violence allegations, Los Angeles County prosecutors said Friday.
The musician, whose real name is Brian Warner, had been under investigation by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department since 2021 after several women came forward to accuse him of rape and abuse. His accusers included “Westworld” actress Evan Rachel Wood and “Game of Thrones” actress Esme Bianco.
Dist. Atty. Nathan Hochman said in a statement Friday that the statute of limitations had run out on the domestic violence allegations and that prosecutors did not believe they could prove the rape charges beyond a reasonable doubt.
“We recognize and applaud the courage and resilience of the women who came forward to make reports and share their experiences, and we thank them for their cooperation and patience with the investigation,” Hochman said in a statement. “While we are unable to bring charges in this matter, we recognize that the strong advocacy of the women involved has helped bring greater awareness to the challenges faced by survivors of domestic abuse and sexual assault.”
The district attorney’s office did not immediately respond to a request for further details on the decision. Warner’s attorney could not immediately be reached for comment.
In a statement to The Times, Bianco said, “Whilst I am deeply disappointed by the decision of the District Attorney to not bring charges in the case against Brian Warner, I am sadly not surprised. Within our toxic culture of victim blaming; a lack of understanding of coercive control, the complex nature of sexual assault within intimate partnerships, and statutes of limitations that do not support the realities of healing; prosecutions face an oftentimes insurmountable hurdle. Once again, our justice system has failed survivors.”
Allegations against Warner first surfaced in 2021 after Bianco sued Manson, alleging sexual assault, sexual battery and human trafficking. The two settled Bianco’s lawsuit in 2023. The same year, Manson settled a suit with an anonymous Jane Doe who also alleged rape.
Wood, who was in a romantic relationship with Warner for years, has levied perhaps the most detailed allegations against Warner, claiming the singer first assaulted her during a simulated sex scene on a music video shoot in 2007 and then proceeded to “groom” her for years.
A former assistant, Ashley Walters, also sued Manson, alleging harassment and assault.
L.A. County Sheriff’s Department investigators raided Manson’s mansion in 2021 and presented a case to the district attorney’s office in 2022. The accusers grew frustrated as years went by without a filing decision, and Bianco and Hochman held a press conference lambasting former Dist. Atty. George Gascón’s handling of the case last year.
“Almost four years ago, I did what victims of rape are ‘supposed’ to do — I went to the police,” Bianco said in a statement issued by Hochman’s campaign last year. “Despite a thorough investigation and hundreds of pieces of evidence being submitted to the District Attorney’s office, I am still waiting for justice. In the meantime, I have received death threats, while my abuser continues to perform publicly.”
Gascón said last October that “new evidence” had come forward in the case but did not detail what it was.
Hochman did not immediately respond to a question about the past campaign event.
For accusers and activists pushing for a Manson prosecution, the news is “a huge disappointment,” said Caroline Heldman, who organized rallies supporting Manson accusers, including one at Manson’s recent show in Anaheim.
“Dist. Atty. Nathan Hochman held a press conference with Manson survivors, and they had high hopes he’d take their claims seriously,” Heldman said. “But now it looks like he was using survivors for a publicity stunt. It’s a slap in the face and exhibit A for why the legal system doesn’t work for survivors, especially if they’re a survivor of a famous person.”
Manson’s rise to fame occurred in the mid-1990s, built partly on an extreme stage persona who courted controversy and spawned albums such as “Antichrist Superstar” in 1996.
In May 2018, when Jackie Lacey was district attorney, the office declined to file charges against Manson that included rape of an unconscious person, assault with a deadly weapon and battery in connection with an Oct. 25, 2011, incident, according to records.
“The victim was acquainted socially with the suspect,” wrote Deputy Dist. Atty. Darci Purvis in a heavily redacted memo that explained why charges were not filed. She cited the statute of limitations on the assault and battery and an “absence of corroboration” on the sexual assault allegation.
In September 2022, after a 19-month sexual abuse investigation into Manson by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Special Victims Bureau, the case was sent to prosecutors for a filing decision. Investigators had previously served a search warrant at the musician’s home in November 2021.
“The incidents occurred between 2009 and 2011 when Mr. Warner lived in the city of West Hollywood,” sheriff’s investigators said initially last year.
Upon receiving the case, then-D.A. Gascón said his office was “committed to investing in trauma-informed care for all victims of sexual assault, abuse, and intimate partner violence. We understand how difficult it may be to come forward as a victim, especially when the case involves this level of notoriety, and are dedicated to treating all victims with the highest level of care and respect.”
Last October, Gascón reignited interest in the case declaring, “new evidence has emerged… adding to an already extensive case file presented to our office.”
The move infuriated Bianco, who accused Gascón of mishandling the case.
Bianco said at the time that she had waited for more than two years for Gascón to decide whether to file criminal charges against Manson. She also said that Gascón has refused to speak with her about the case.
Wood, the “Westworld” star, was in a relationship with Manson during the time of the allegations. She became engaged to the singer in 2010 but they later split up.
“He started grooming me when I was a teenager and horrifically abused me for years,” Wood wrote in messages posted to Instagram. “I was brainwashed and manipulated into submission. I am done living in fear of retaliation, slander, or blackmail.”
In 2018, as the #MeToo movement rose, Wood testified to a congressional committee about the horrific abuse she suffered at the hands of an unnamed former partner. Manson has denied the allegations but was dropped by his record label as the number of allegations grew.
Marilyn Manson will not face criminal charges in a series of sexual assault and domestic violence allegations, Los Angeles County prosecutors said Friday.
The musician, whose real name is Brian Warner, had been under investigation by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department since 2021 after several women came forward to accuse him of rape and abuse. His accusers included “Westworld” actress Evan Rachel Wood and “Game of Thrones” actress Esme Bianco.
Dist. Atty. Nathan Hochman said in a statement Friday that the statute of limitations had run out on the domestic violence allegations and that prosecutors did not believe they could prove the rape charges beyond a reasonable doubt.
“We recognize and applaud the courage and resilience of the women who came forward to make reports and share their experiences, and we thank them for their cooperation and patience with the investigation,” Hochman said in a statement. “While we are unable to bring charges in this matter, we recognize that the strong advocacy of the women involved has helped bring greater awareness to the challenges faced by survivors of domestic abuse and sexual assault.”
The district attorney’s office did not immediately respond to a request for further details on the decision. Warner’s attorney could not immediately be reached for comment.
In a statement to The Times, Bianco said, “Whilst I am deeply disappointed by the decision of the District Attorney to not bring charges in the case against Brian Warner, I am sadly not surprised. Within our toxic culture of victim blaming; a lack of understanding of coercive control, the complex nature of sexual assault within intimate partnerships, and statutes of limitations that do not support the realities of healing; prosecutions face an oftentimes insurmountable hurdle. Once again, our justice system has failed survivors.”
Allegations against Warner first surfaced in 2021 after Bianco sued Manson, alleging sexual assault, sexual battery and human trafficking. The two settled Bianco’s lawsuit in 2023. The same year, Manson settled a suit with an anonymous Jane Doe who also alleged rape.
Wood, who was in a romantic relationship with Warner for years, has levied perhaps the most detailed allegations against Warner, claiming the singer first assaulted her during a simulated sex scene on a music video shoot in 2007 and then proceeded to “groom” her for years.
A former assistant, Ashley Walters, also sued Manson, alleging harassment and assault.
L.A. County Sheriff’s Department investigators raided Manson’s mansion in 2021 and presented a case to the district attorney’s office in 2022. The accusers grew frustrated as years went by without a filing decision, and Bianco and Hochman held a press conference lambasting former Dist. Atty. George Gascón’s handling of the case last year.
“Almost four years ago, I did what victims of rape are ‘supposed’ to do — I went to the police,” Bianco said in a statement issued by Hochman’s campaign last year. “Despite a thorough investigation and hundreds of pieces of evidence being submitted to the District Attorney’s office, I am still waiting for justice. In the meantime, I have received death threats, while my abuser continues to perform publicly.”
Gascón said last October that “new evidence” had come forward in the case but did not detail what it was.
Hochman did not immediately respond to a question about the past campaign event.
For accusers and activists pushing for a Manson prosecution, the news is “a huge disappointment,” said Caroline Heldman, who organized rallies supporting Manson accusers, including one at Manson’s recent show in Anaheim.
“Dist. Atty. Nathan Hochman held a press conference with Manson survivors, and they had high hopes he’d take their claims seriously,” Heldman said. “But now it looks like he was using survivors for a publicity stunt. It’s a slap in the face and exhibit A for why the legal system doesn’t work for survivors, especially if they’re a survivor of a famous person.”
Manson’s rise to fame occurred in the mid-1990s, built partly on an extreme stage persona who courted controversy and spawned albums such as “Antichrist Superstar” in 1996.
In May 2018, when Jackie Lacey was district attorney, the office declined to file charges against Manson that included rape of an unconscious person, assault with a deadly weapon and battery in connection with an Oct. 25, 2011, incident, according to records.
“The victim was acquainted socially with the suspect,” wrote Deputy Dist. Atty. Darci Purvis in a heavily redacted memo that explained why charges were not filed. She cited the statute of limitations on the assault and battery and an “absence of corroboration” on the sexual assault allegation.
In September 2022, after a 19-month sexual abuse investigation into Manson by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Special Victims Bureau, the case was sent to prosecutors for a filing decision. Investigators had previously served a search warrant at the musician’s home in November 2021.
“The incidents occurred between 2009 and 2011 when Mr. Warner lived in the city of West Hollywood,” sheriff’s investigators said initially last year.
Upon receiving the case, then-D.A. Gascón said his office was “committed to investing in trauma-informed care for all victims of sexual assault, abuse, and intimate partner violence. We understand how difficult it may be to come forward as a victim, especially when the case involves this level of notoriety, and are dedicated to treating all victims with the highest level of care and respect.”
Last October, Gascón reignited interest in the case declaring, “new evidence has emerged… adding to an already extensive case file presented to our office.”
The move infuriated Bianco, who accused Gascón of mishandling the case.
Bianco said at the time that she had waited for more than two years for Gascón to decide whether to file criminal charges against Manson. She also said that Gascón has refused to speak with her about the case.
Wood, the “Westworld” star, was in a relationship with Manson during the time of the allegations. She became engaged to the singer in 2010 but they later split up.
“He started grooming me when I was a teenager and horrifically abused me for years,” Wood wrote in messages posted to Instagram. “I was brainwashed and manipulated into submission. I am done living in fear of retaliation, slander, or blackmail.”
In 2018, as the #MeToo movement rose, Wood testified to a congressional committee about the horrific abuse she suffered at the hands of an unnamed former partner. Manson has denied the allegations but was dropped by his record label as the number of allegations grew.
