Marilyn Manson has been accused of grooming and sexually assaulting an underage girl in the 1990s, according to a new lawsuit filed against the singer in New York.
A report by Rolling Stone outlines the accusations levelled against the singer in the legal action, which alleges that Manson - cited in the lawsuit under his real name, Brian Warner - sexually assaulted the plaintiff, whose anonymity is protected and who is referred to as 'Jane Doe' in the legal papers, on multiple occasions in the latter half of the decade, beginning when she was underage.
The lawsuit includes accusations of sexual battery and intentional infliction of emotional distress by Manson.
According to the Rolling Stone report, 'Jane Doe' states that she first met Warner following a gig in Dallas, Texas in 1995 when she was 16-years-old. After being invited on to the band's tourbus, the plaintiff claims that the singer performed “acts of criminal sexual conduct” on her. According to the legal documents filed in Nassau County Supreme Court on Long Island, the encounter ended with Manson telling 'Jane Doe' to “get the fuck off my bus”, and issuing threats that he would “kill her and her family” if she spoke to anyone about what occurred on the bus.
The age of constent in Texas is 17. The suit also states that 'Jane Doe' began to use drugs and alcohol after the first alleged sexual assault, and continued to do so over subsequent years.
The lawsuit goes on to allege that that Manson invited Jane Doe to a gig in New Orleans later the same year, where he “groomed” her before sexually assaulting her once more.
It's reported that Doe subsequently began dating Nine Inch Nails drummer Chris Vrenna after she turned 18, which brought her closer into Manson’s circle. She claims that she spent four weeks on the road with the singer and the band in 1999, during which time he would “groom, harass and sexually abuse” her.
The lawsuit claims that Manson “had purposefully and intentionally laid the groundwork necessary to intimidate and control her”. It adds that Manson “coerced Plaintiff to have sex with him and other band members… controlled what Plaintiff could do, who could touch Plaintiff, and who he wanted Plaintiff to be with sexually, all while providing Plaintiff with drugs.”
The singer is also alleged to have “openly called her racial slurs and called her fat.”
Manson’s former labels, Interscope and Nothing Records, are also named in the suit, where they are accused of negligence and intentional infliction of emotional distress.
In a statement to Rolling Stone, an attorney for 'Jane Doe', Jeff Anderson, said: “This suit by this survivor is a giant step in bringing light and heat to an industry that has been hiding perils in plain sight. It’s time to face the music.”
Last week, actor Esmé Bianco reached an out-of-court settlement with Manson over the sexual assault lawsuit she filed against him in 2021. The terms of the settlement have not been revealed.
In a brief statement given to Rolling Stone, Bianco's lawyer, Jay Ellwanger, said, "Ms. Bianco has agreed to resolve her claims against Brian Warner and Marilyn Manson Records, Inc. in order to move on with her life and career."
Bianco had originally accused Manson of multiple instances of physical, sexual, psychological and emotional abuse, as well as an instance of rape.
The settlement comes after a judge in Los Angeles dismissed another sexual assault lawsuit filed against Manson after the plaintiff, Ashley Morgan Smithline, failed to appoint new legal representation following her original lawyer's decision to withdraw from the case. Smithline can choose to refile the case should she find new legal representation or chooses to represent herself.
Actor Evan Rachel Wood has accused Manson of grooming and abusing her during their relationship in the late 2000s and early 2000s. Over a dozen other women have also made similar allegations in recent years. Manson has denied all allegations.
