In 2021, former personal assistant to Marilyn Manson (Brian Hugh Warner), Ashley Walters, filed lawsuit against Manson “citing sex discrimination, sexual harassment, sexual assault, interference with the exercise of civil rights in violation of the Bane Act, sexual battery and intentional infliction of emotional distress.” Loudwire reports that in December of 2025, Walters’ case was dismissed because her “claims fell outside the statute of limitations and could not be revived based on the argument that her memories of alleged abuse had been suppressed.” Walters continued her suit, however, claiming that”California’s AB 250 statute [which took effect on Jan. 1, 2026] . . . extends the statue of limitations on sexual assault claims.”
This past Friday (June 5), Manson reportedly”lost his latest bid . . . to shut down” Walters’ lawsuit because Judge Cochran “refused to toss or trim the claims in Ashley Walters’ third amended complaint.” The third amended complaint in question was filed in February and alleges that the singer “pushed [Walters] onto a bed, pinned her arms, and tried to kiss her as she pulled away during an incident at Warner’s . . . home studio in May 2010. . . [Walters] claimed Warner then moved behind her and “bit her ear while grabbing her hand and placing it in his underwear.”
During Friday’s hearing, Manson’s lawyer Alexa Foley claimed that Walters’ “allegations did not qualify as revivable under the new law” and that Walters “couldn’t meet the standard of showing she was physically restrained during the alleged sexual assault.” However, Judge Cochran responded by “saying it was simply too soon to ‘be cutting the line that finely,'” determining that Walters’ accusations were “strong enough to let the case move forward while body sides gather evidence to show whether the alleged sexual assault qualifies for revival under AB 250” (per Rolling Stone).
Judge Cochran also stipulated that Walters’ “related claims of a cover-up by [Manson’s] company, Marilyn Manson Records, might be more vulnerable to challenge, given that Walters did not agree to work as [Manson’s] assistant until after the alleged sexual assault.” Judge Cochran said those claims, too, were “strong enough to proceed for now” before adding that “[Manson] and his lawyers could challenge the claims again in a motion for summary judgment, after more evidence has been gathered in the case and the new law has been more fully applied.”
[Manson’s] lawyer, Howard King, commented to Rolling Stone that this latest development “was not unexpected” since Judge Cochran “telegraphed explicitly that we’re not at the right stage of the case yet.” Bina Ahmad, Walters’ attorney, commented: “We are obviously pleased. We truly take the inspiration to keep fighting from our client. She’s the brave one.”
Both parties were called to return by Judge Cochran for a case management conference in August.
Photo Credit: Owen Ela
Leave a Comment