After The LA District Attorney Said Marilyn Manson Won't Face Sex Abuse Charges, Here's How His Ex-Fiancée Evan Rachel Wood Responded
This post contains discussion of sexual assault and rape.
Evan Rachel Wood is speaking out following the news her ex, Marilyn Manson, won't face charges after being investigated for alleged sexual assault and domestic violence.
In 2021, the Westworld actor alleged that her ex-fiancé Marilyn (real name Brian Warner) "horrifically abused" her for years, which the rock musician claimed in a now-deleted IG response was a "distortion."
He wrote, "Obviously, my art and my life have long been magnets for controversy, but these recent claims about me are horrible distortions of reality. My intimate relationships have always been entirely consensual with like-minded partners. Regardless of how — and why — others are now choosing to misrepresent the past, that is the truth."
Evan, who met Marilyn when she was 18 years old, and he was 36, testified before the California Senate Public Safety Committee on behalf of the Phoenix Act, a political body aimed at supporting legislation to aid survivors of abuse. In an HBO documentary, Phoenix Rising, Evan alleged Marilyn "essentially raped" her on camera while filming the "Heart-Shaped Glasses" music video in 2007.
Assembly member Eduardo Garcia and Sen. Susan Rubio collaborated with Evan Rachel Wood and a team of survivors to create the Phoenix Act. It extends the statute of limitations for reporting domestic violence from three years to five years. It also expanded the training required for police officers to help identify survivors of domestic violence while avoiding additional harm.
On Jan. 24, Nathan Hochman, the 44th District Attorney of Los Angeles, announced that after the Sex Crimes Division of the District Attorney's Office and LA Sheriff's department completed a four-year investigation into the claims made against Marilyn, they "determined that allegations of domestic violence fall outside of the statute of limitations, and we cannot prove charges of sexual assault beyond a reasonable doubt."
In response to the news that charges would not be filed against Marilyn, Evan shared a post to her private Instagram with her thoughts on the decision.
"My lawyer and I were advised by the Deputy District Attorneys and the Sheriff deputies who investigated the case that there was compelling evidence to support our claims, but that the statute of limitations prevents many of those crimes from being prosecuted," Evan wrote.
"We always knew that the statute of limitations would be a barrier, which is why we created the Phoenix Act so that other victims wouldn't have to experience this outcome."
"Unfortunately, the Phoenix Act cannot help in cases which occurred before it was passed, but I hope this shines a light on why it's so important to advocate for better laws," Evan continued.
"Evidence of violent crimes should not have an expiration date," she added. "I am grateful for the work law enforcement has done, and I am endlessly proud of all the survivors who risked everything to protect others by speaking the truth."
In addition to announcing his office wouldn't file domestic abuse and sexual assault charges against Marilyn, District Attorney Hochman stated, "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."
"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."
More than a dozen women have come forward with allegations against Marilyn, including Game of Thrones actor Esmé Bianco. In 2021, Esmé sued and later settled a lawsuit against Marilyn for alleged sexual assault and sexual battery. She also posted a lengthy response on Instagram to the news following the DA's statement.
"I know the truth of what happened to me. It sits deeply rooted in my belly, unshakable, mine. No one and nothing can take that away," Esmé wrote. "And so to all the survivors reading this, who are being hit by yet another piece of stinging news and feeling hopeless or discouraged, let me remind you: you know your truth also."
In 2022, Marilyn filed a defamation suit against Evan, in which he denied the allegations, stating they were a "malicious falsehood." The suit was dropped in 2024 after an agreement on paying Evan's $327,000 in legal fees, per court documents obtained by People.
We reached out to Evan Rachel Wood's reps about this story — and we'll let you know if we hear anything back, too.
UPDATE: Howard King, Brian Warner's attorney, issued this statement regarding the DA decision: “We are very pleased that, after a thorough and incredibly lengthy review of all of the actual evidence, the District Attorney has concluded what we knew and expressed from the start - Brian Warner is innocent.”
Jan. 25, 2025, at 21:46 PM
If you or someone you know has experienced sexual assault, you can call the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673), which routes the caller to their nearest sexual assault service provider. You can also search for your local center here.