Marilyn Manson Accuser Recants Rape Allegations, Says Evan Rachel Wood Pressured Her
Ashley Morgan Smithline has filed a sworn statement rescinding her sexual abuse allegations against Marilyn Manson. Smithline was one of the more than a dozen women who accused Manson of sexual abuse, but her lawsuit was dismissed last month.
In a declaration she filed in Los Angeles Superior Court Thursday and obtained by PEOPLE, Manson's ex-girlfriend claimed she was "manipulated" into accusing the rocker of psychological, sexual, and physical abuse.
Smithline said she "succumbed to pressure" from actress Evan Rachel Wood and others to go public with her accusations of rape and assault against Manson, which she now claimed to be "not true."
She also said she felt "pressured" by her lawyer to speak about her accusations in a press tour. Smithline claimed she was "repeatedly gaslit" by Wood and others to believe she had been abused by Manson, similar to the ways they claimed they had been.
"Eventually, I started to believe that what I was repeatedly told happened to Ms. Wood and Ms. Bianco happened to me," she noted. The model also admitted that she "never intended to pursue criminal charges" against the singer.
She said she did not get to see the contents of her civil complaint before it was filed in court. Aside from Wood, Smithline also named Manson's former assistant Ashley Walters, Wood's girlfriend Illma Gore, and "Game of Thrones" actress Esmé Bianco as those who manipulated her.
Wood, Bianco, and Walters were among the women who filed a sexual assault and battery lawsuit against the rock star. A Wood representative denied Smithline's claims, telling PEOPLE that the actress "never pressured or manipulated" her.
The representative noted that it was Smithline who first contacted Wood about the abuse she had suffered while dating Manson. Bianco and Manson already reached a settlement last month.
Bianco's attorney Jay Ellwanger said the actress agreed to settle the sexual assault lawsuit so she could "move on with her life and career." In May 2022, a Los Angeles Superior Court judge dismissed Walters' case against Manson, saying she had "too few facts" and pleaded "too late."
Manson sued Wood and Gore for defamation and intentional infliction of distress in March last year.
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Ashley Morgan Smithline Sexual Abuse Lawsuit Against Marilyn Manson
In January, a California judge dismissed Ashley Morgan Smithline's sexual abuse lawsuit against Marilyn Manson after she failed to replace her former legal counsel, Page Six reported.
Smithline accused the rocker of raping and abusing her during their two-year relationship. Last December, the model was advised to find new representation after her former lawyer Jay Ellwanger's motion to withdraw was approved.
However, Smithline failed to find a new lawyer, leading to the dismissal of her case. Ellwanger was also Walter's lawyer. Smithline's case was dismissed without prejudice, which means she could file the same claim again at a later time if she wants to do so.
Smithline previously said that the first time Manson raped her was when she woke up one morning with her arms tied, and he penetrated her while sleeping. She added that the abuse just got worse over time.
However, Manson's camp "strongly" denied the allegations against him, saying there were many "falsehoods" in Smithline's claims.
Another Marilyn Manson Accuser
Marilyn Manson is also facing a rape lawsuit for allegedly sexually assaulting a 16-year-old girl on a tour bus during the promotion of the release of his "Smells Like Children" album in 1995.
The complaint was filed in Nassau County Supreme Court last month. The latest accuser, only identified as Jane Doe, noted in court papers that she decided to proceed anonymously due to fear of retribution from his fans.
Manson's attorney, Howard King, denied the latest allegations, noting that the rocker, born Brian Warner, "does not know this individual and has no recollection of ever having met her 28 years ago." King went on to say that the victim has been "shopping her fabricated tale to tabloids and podcasts for more than two years."
READ MORE: Marilyn Manson Out on Bail After Turning Himself in to Los Angeles Police on Assault Charges
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Written by: Mary Webber
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