LA Judge Revives Walters' Suit Against Marilyn Manson

A Los Angeles Superior Court judge revived a long-dormant civil lawsuit against musician Marilyn Manson on January 26, 2026, allowing former personal assistant Ashley Walters to pursue allegations of sexual assault and abuse stemming from her employment with him more than a decade earlier. The ruling by Judge Steve Cochran came during a hearing in downtown Los Angeles and marks the latest development in a case that has bounced through the courts since 2021.

Walters, who worked for Manson—whose legal name is Brian Warner—from 2010 to 2011, first filed the suit in 2021. She accused Warner of subjecting her to sexual exploitation, manipulation, psychological abuse, sexual harassment, sexual battery, intentional infliction of emotional distress, and wrongful termination. According to court filings, Walters met Warner through social media after he complimented her photography and invited her to his West Hollywood home for a potential collaboration. She alleged that during that visit, he pushed her onto a bed, pinned her arms, attempted to kiss her, bit her ear, and forced her hand into his underwear. After leaving, she accepted the assistant position, during which she claimed he...