A judge has dismissed a lawsuit filed against Marilyn Manson by his former assistant.
Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Michael L Stern dismissed the case made by Ashley Walters, who had sued the musician for alleged sexual assault, battery, and harassment, due to there being “too few facts too keep this case in court”.
Stern also said it was brought “too late” to meet the statute of limitations rules.
According to court documents, the judge dismissed the case with prejudice, meaning Walters will not be able to sue 53-year-old rocker Manson – whose real name is Brian Warner – over the same allegations in the future.
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Walters’ attorneys at Valli Kane Vagnini LLP and Hadsell Stormer Renick Dai LLP said in a statement to ‘E! News’: “We are deeply disappointed in the court’s decision today.
“If allowed to stand, this decision would drastically limit the ability of victims of abuse to obtain justice through the legal system. We clearly pleaded the facts of this case in the complaint detailing the trauma and abuse Ashley endured, which prevented her from coming forward sooner.
“While the court based its decision on the timeliness of Ashley’s claims and not the merits, we disagree with the court’s interpretation of the law, as it applies to equitable estoppel and the delayed filing of abuse claims.
“We remain confident that a full review of the facts in this case will result in a successful appeal, which we plan on filing,” read the statement.
Walters also said in a statement: “Nobody gets to choose exactly how they process abuse or threats.
“I am disheartened in the court’s decision today not just for my case, but for the message it sends to other survivors out there, trying to balance how they process abuse with arbitrary court deadlines.
“We will not let this hurdle stop us from shining a light on what happened to me and others.”
The “Dope Show” hitmaker has been accused of sexual and physical abuse by multiple women.
In March, it was revealed Manson is suing his ex Evan Rachel Wood for defamation, fraud, and emotional distress over the “malicious falsehood” of abuse allegations against him.
In February 2021, Evan claimed Manson “horrifically abused her for years”, while “Game of Thrones” star Esme Bianco has accused him of sexual assault and sexual battery.
Manson has denied the allegations, and he has described claims against him as “horrible distortions of reality”.
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