Marilyn Manson will not face prosecution following an extensive inquiry into allegations of sexual assault and domestic abuse, according to prosecutors.
Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman stated that some of the purported events occurred too far in the past, while there was insufficient evidence to prosecute the 56-year-old, whose legal name is Brian Warner, in connection with other accusations.
Mr. Hochman remarked: “We have concluded that allegations of domestic violence are outside the statute of limitations and we cannot establish charges of sexual assault beyond a reasonable doubt.”
“We commend and appreciate the bravery and fortitude of the women who came forward to report and share their experiences, and we thank them for their collaboration and patience throughout the investigation.”
Detectives from the LA County Sheriff’s Department announced in early 2021 that they were probing Manson for incidents occurring between 2009 and 2011 in West Hollywood, where he resided at the time.
The case was initially presented to prosecutors in September 2021. However, the investigation continued as the county district attorney’s office sought additional evidence.
Nearly four years after the inquiry commenced, officials reported in October that new leads were under investigation, contributing to an “already comprehensive” case file.
The identities of the women who spoke to investigators have not been disclosed, but Esme Bianco, an actress from Game Of Thrones who filed a lawsuit against Manson in a case that has since reached a settlement, indicated that she was part of the criminal inquiry.
In an Instagram update, she expressed feeling “deeply disappointed” by the decision not to prosecute Manson, although she was “sadly not surprised”.
She had previously criticized the duration of the investigation.
In 2021, Manson’s former fiancé, Westworld actress Evan Rachel Wood accused him of abuse in an Instagram announcement.
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Wood and Manson’s relationship became public in 2007, when he was 38 and she was 19, and they were briefly engaged three years later before parting ways.
Manson took legal action against Wood regarding her allegations, but a judge dismissed significant portions of the lawsuit, and in November the musician retracted the case.
