In a recent development on Wednesday, December 13, the legal saga surrounding Marilyn Manson took an unexpected turn. The California Second Appellate District court granted Marilyn Manson’s former assistant, Ashley Walters, the green light to proceed with her lawsuit against the controversial singer. This ruling marks a reversal of a prior decision that dismissed her claims on the grounds of being filed too late.
Walters’ 24-page lawsuit, accusing Manson of sexual harassment and discrimination during her employment from 2010 to 2011, faced a significant hurdle related to the timing of its filing. Initially, a lower court had deemed her 2021 lawsuit outside the permissible time frame, leading to its dismissal.
However, the appeals court now deems Walters’ claims credible under the delayed discovery rule. Walters asserted that the trauma from the alleged incidents led her to suppress the memories until 2020. The court’s opinion stated, “Until she received diagnosis and treatment, Walters [says she] was unable to remember the repressed events, and once she did recall them, she was unable to immediately identify these events as abuse. These allegations of suppressed memories and psychological blocking are sufficient to withstand [dismissal].”
Despite the recent ruling, representatives for Manson and Walters’ attorney have maintained a discreet stance, refraining from public commentary.
Walters’ lawsuit paints a troubling picture of her time working with Manson, alleging ‘sexual exploitation, manipulation, and psychological abuse.’ Her claims include accusations of physical assault, coercive drug administration, and offering her to others sexually.
The legal battle, however, is far from over. The recent ruling doesn’t validate the truth of Walters’ accusations but signifies the court’s acknowledgment that various factors suggest the ex-assistant may not have fully realized the alleged abuse until 2020.
The court elaborated on this decision, stating, “The complaint described the support group Walters joined in October 2020 and recounted the stories shared by the other abused women that ‘began to unlock new memories [Walters] repressed long ago as a result of her psychological trauma by being manipulated and threatened by Warner during and after her employment.'”
It further continued, “The complaint also described how Walters began therapy in November 2020 and was diagnosed the following month with complex posttraumatic stress disorder, major depressive disorder, and generalized anxiety disorder.” The unfolding legal drama adds another layer to Manson’s controversial reputation, with the courtroom now set to be the stage for a protracted battle over the veracity of these serious allegations.
