A trial date has been set for the former personal assistant suing controversial rocker Marilyn Manson. Ashley Walters brought a suit against Manson for allegedly abusing and sexually assaulting her during the time that she worked for him between May 2010 and October 2011.
Walters allegations include both physical and sexual abuse. She accused Manson of throwing dishes at her, throwing her into a wall, whipping her, breaking down doors to reach her, charging at her, biting her ear while shoving her hand into his underwear, making her stand on a chair for 12 hours straight and forcing her to stay awake for 48 hours. She also claims that Manson "bragged about raping women and showed her a video of himself abusing an underage girl."
She first sued Manson in 2021, but a trial court judge threw out the case in May 2022, claiming that Walters "failed to plead facts to invoke the delayed discovery rule."
"The plaintiff has pleaded too few facts and too late to keep this case in court," said a Superior Court judge at the time.
She successfully appealed her case in December.
Judges in California's Second Appellate District reversed the lower court's decision, allowing her to sue Manson for the abuse she alleges occurred.
The appellate judges wrote, "Walters's allegations of delayed discovery were sufficient to withstand demurrer, and we reverse." Delayed discovery extends the statutes of limitations to the date of discovery rather than the date of the actual abuse in cases where victims are unable to remember traumatic memories.
The trial will begin June 2, 2025.
James Vagnini, an attorney for Walters, revealed to Rolling Stone that he and Walters' team are glad that the trial is able to proceed and that they will "have an opportunity to depose Mr. Warner and present all the facts to a jury next year."
Vagnini is "confident" that the court will "will acknowledge the harm done to Ms. Walters and deliver a resounding message to all survivors of such terrible abuse."
Manson has been accused of abuse, assault and/or rape from more than fifteen people throughout the past decade. His alleged victims include several Jane Does as well as his ex, Evan Rachel Wood. Wood, along with at least four other women, have brought suits against Manson for his abuse.
Manson attempted to sue Wood and artist Illma Gore for defamation and emotional distress, but lost the case, leading him to owe hundreds of thousands of dollars in legal fees to the two.
He reached a private settlement with an accuser, who alleged that Manson raped her, starved her and deprived her of sleep, in September 2022. He also settled a case with Esmé Bianco, of Game of Thrones fame, who alleged that he raped and abused her. Another accuser, Ashley Morgan Smithline, allowed her suit to end in default after she was unable to find new legal representation after her attorney withdrew. Another Jane Doe sued Manson for sexually, emotionally and physically abusing her when she was a minor.
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