American rock musician Marilyn Manson has dropped a lawsuit against his former fiancée, the bisexual actress Evan Rachel Wood, while agreeing to pay legal costs amounting to $327,000, as per media reports.
According to a report by The Indian Express, lawyers for both sides said on Tuesday that the rocker had agreed to drop the lawsuit. This step comes 18 months after a U.S. court judge dismissed much of the 2022 suit, in which Manson claimed Wood had fabricated public allegations that he sexually and physically abused her during their relationship.
Manson also alleged that Wood encouraged other women to fabricate allegations against him. “After four years of fighting a battle where he was able to tell the truth, Brian [Manson’s legal name] is pleased to dismiss his pending claims and appeal to close this chapter of his life,” Manson’s attorney stated in a statement related to the case.
On the other hand, Evan Rachel Wood’s lawyer, Michael J. Kump, said in a statement: “Manson filed a lawsuit against Ms. Wood as a publicity stunt to try to undermine the credibility of his many accusers and revive his faltering career, but his attempt to silence and intimidate Ms. Wood failed.” Manson has agreed to pay nearly $327,000 in attorney fees for Wood.
Many media reports suggest that this settlement comes nearly four years into a criminal investigation of Marilyn Manson involving multiple women, which remains unresolved. Outgoing LA County District Attorney George Gascón said in October that his office had discovered new evidence, though he did not specify when the next decision on the case might be made.
In a 2020 Instagram post, Evan Rachel Wood said Manson had horrifically abused her for years. Manson has denied engaging in any non-consensual sexual acts. In 2017, during the height of the #MeToo movement, Wood publicly stated that she had been raped and abused but did not name anyone at the time.
