Marilyn Manson in the clear after years-long sex assault investigation: DA
Rock star and actor Marilyn Mason is in the clear after a four-year probe into allegations of sex assault and domestic violence, according to Los Angeles District Attorney Nathan Hochman's office.
The 55-year-old Manson, whose real name is Brian Warner, had already fended off similar accusations in civil lawsuits. He has always denied the allegations.
In a statement, Hochman cited two factors in the decision. First, the statute of limitations has expired on domestic violence allegations. Second, authorities said they could not prove sex assault 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," the DA's office 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."
Hochman's predecessor, George Gascon, announced in October that he was reviewing the investigation after Manson accuser Esme Bianco, who played Ros on "Game of Thrones," went public with allegations that the embattled prosecutor had "mishandled" her case from the start and sat on it for two years without making a decision on whether to file charges.
Bianco sued Manson in 2021, alleging violent sexual assault, trafficking and abuse. Through an attorney, the rock star denied the allegations as "provably false." The sides settled out of court in 2023.
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Court documents show that another Manson accuser dropped her own case and claimed that Bianco and Evan Rachel Wood manipulated her into leveling false accusations against him, according to a source close to the legal team.
Manson has also been accused of sexual and physical abuse by actress Evan Rachel Wood, his former fiancée, as well as other women, including one who was 16 at the time of her alleged assault. Some of the claims have already been tossed out in court.
Unrelated legal troubles also led to a 20-hour sentence of community service in New Hampshire after he allegedly blew his nose on a videographer.
Bianco had endorsed Hochman on the campaign trail.
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The DA's office said it was acknowledging and commending Manson's accusers regardless of the outcome. The attention on the case helped lead to an extension of the statute of limitations for domestic abuse locally and in other parts of the country.
"Due to their efforts, victims of domestic violence have a greater voice in our criminal justice system and prosecutorial offices around the country have improved tools to hold domestic violence abusers accountable for their actions," the DA's office said.