According to consequence.net, Marilyn Manson has dropped his defamation lawsuit against actress Evan Rachel Wood and agreed to pay nearly $327,000 in attorneys’ fees. Back in February 2021, Wood publicly identified Manson as her alleged abuser accused accusing Manson of alleged sexual assault, psychological abuse, various forms of coercion, violence and intimidation.

Manson responded by filing a defamation lawsuit in March 2022 and in May 2023, a California judge tossed out most of Manson’s defamation suit by citing California’s anti-SLAPP law and its protections on individual free speech. The judge subsequently ordered that Manson pay Wood’s legal fees, which totaled in $326,956.

although Manson initially sought to appeal the ruling, Rolling Stone reported that he has now agreed to drop the lawsuit and pay Wood’s full lawyers’ fees. “Marilyn 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,” a representative for Wood said in a statement. “As the trial court correctly found, Warner’s claims were meritless. Warner’s decision to finally abandon his lawsuit and pay Ms. Wood her full fee award of almost $327,000 only confirms as much.”

Wood’s accusations led to other sexual assault allegations against Manson. The singer has reached settlements with a couple of the women, including Game of Thrones actress Esmé Bianco. Another lawsuit, filed by model Ashley Morgan Smithline, was dismissed after she recanted her accusations against the artist.

Photo credit: Owen Ela