Ashley Morgan Smithline, aka Ashley Lindsay Morgan, one of the women who accused Marilyn Manson of sexual assault and abuse along with actress Evan Rachel Wood in 2021, said in new legal documents. , saying the allegations were untrue and that she was “manipulated.” According to reports, by Wood.
Last year, rock singer Manson, whose real name is Brian Warner, sued ex-fiancé Wood for defamation, alleging she plotted against him.
A Smithline affidavit filed on Feb. 23 by the singer’s attorney was “manipulated by Ms. Wood” to agree that Smithline would “publicly disseminate false allegations of abuse” against Manson. claims.
“I bowed to pressure from Evan Rachel Wood and her peers to denounce the rape and assault of Mr. Warner as untrue,” Smithline wrote. “I began to believe that what I was repeatedly told had happened to Mr. Wood. [others] Happened to me too. ”
A spokesperson for Wood denied the Smithline accusations. “Evan never pressured or manipulated Ashley,” they said, adding that Smithline “first contacted Evan about the abuse she suffered. Through intimidation, she appears to have been pressured to change her testimony.”
Two years ago, Wood named Manson as an abuse suspect. Four of his others — Smithline, Sarah McNeely, Ashley Walters, and a woman named Gabriella — joined Wood to share their respective accusations. Subsequent accusers included actress Esme Bianco.
Manson refutes all claims.Smithline sued him in 2021, the same year she spoke people about her claims. A judge dismissed the lawsuit earlier this year.
As summarized by billboard:
[Smithline] She was initially contacted by other alleged victims, and when she denied that such abuse had happened to her, she was repeatedly told that she might just not remember.
“At first I knew Mr. Warner didn’t do these things to me, but I eventually came to wonder if he actually did,” Smithline wrote. “I have been told many times…either I am falsely remembering what happened, or I am suppressing my memory of what happened, or my memory has not yet surfaced- They happened against people to whom these acts were committed.
Ultimately, Smithline said it agreed to participate.she said [Wood associate Illma] Gore drafted a charging letter on her behalf and posted it on her account.She then had an affair with Jay Ellwanger, the same attorney who represented her [Manson accuser Esmé] Bianco.
“Prior to the filing of the complaint, I felt pressured by Mr. Ellwanger to attend a press tour that included an interview with The View and an interview and photo shoot with People magazine,” Smithline wrote. “I was very uncomfortable making this report, but I felt the pressure to do it.”
Smithline also said it “never received any money” from Manson as part of a settlement agreement to stop pursuing her lawsuit, and she never intended to file a lawsuit against Manson. .
See the claim timeline below.
If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, there are resources available to help. Visit RAINN (Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network) online or dial 1-800-656-HOPE (1-800-656-4673).
Timeline of abuse allegations against Marilyn Manson
Similar allegations by others against the rock singer also surfaced after actress Evan Rachel Wood publicly accused Marilyn Manson of abuse in 2021. The musician, whose real name is Brian Warner, has denied the allegations. He sued Wood in her 2022.