Marilyn Manson’s ex-accuser backtracks on rape allegations: ‘I was manipulated by Evan Rachel Wood into lying!’

24 February 2023

Marilyn Manson’s former sexual assault accuser Ashley Morgan Smithline claims his ex Evan Rachel Wood was among those who “manipulated” her into make false rape accusations against the shock rocker.

Marilyn Manson’s former sexual assault accuser Ashley Morgan Smithline claims his ex Evan Rachel Wood was among those who ‘manipulated’ her into make false rape accusations against the shock rocker

The 58-year-old ‘Personal Jesus’ singer – born Brian Hugh Warner – had been accused by Ashley, 38, of raping her while cutting her with a swastika-emblazoned knife and shoving his fist into her mouth during sex, with the model revealing her claims the ‘The View’ in June 2021 and entering a lawsuit against him.

Her case was dismissed in January after she failed to find new legal counsel to represent her, and she has now told in a declaration about her allegations, obtained by Page Six on Thursday (23.02.23): “I succumbed to pressure from Evan Rachel Wood and her associates to make accusations of rape and assault against (Marilyn) that were not true.”

She added in her statement either Evan’s girlfriend Illma Gore, or Marilyn’s former assistant Ashley Walters, who also sued him, contacted her in 2020 and allegedly said she should take part in group meetings of the singer’s “victims”.

Ashley said she was asked in the discussions if she’d been whipped, chained, tied up, “branded, cut, assaulted while sleeping, beaten, or raped” by Marilyn – to which she apparently said no and “this was not my experience”.

She added 35-year-old actress Evan – who publicly said she had been abused by Marilyn in February 2021 – told her that “just because she could not remember” any beatings, it “did not necessarily mean” it didn’t happen and said she may have “repressed” the memories out of trauma.

She said: “While at first I knew Mr. Warner did not do these things to me, I eventually I began to question whether he actually did.

“I was asked whether (I) was repressing memories to just get through day-to-day life, and whether it was easier just to not think about what actually happened than accept reality.

“They also said it was important for people to come forward so that no one else gets hurt.”

Ashley added as she grew to believe she was an abuse victim, she let lllma write a statement about her claims, and post it on social media.

A source told Page Six the only time Evan met Ashley was when they were on camera filming a documentary.

Marilyn’s attorney Howard King also told the outlet Ashley had contacted him and his team last week and apologised, saying: “She was a reluctant participant (in Evan’s alleged scheme) from the get-go.”

More than a dozen women to come forward with allegations of sexual abuse against Marilyn, after Evan claimed in 2021 on Instagram he abused her.

Marilyn has filed a lawsuit against Evan and her Illma, alleging among other charges those of defamation, emotional distress, and “impersonation over the Internet”.

Illma previously denied accusations she coerced women into branding Marilyn an abuser, while Evan – who dated him from 2006 to 2010 and was briefly his fiancée – maintains she has the “truth” on her side.