The woman who accused Marilyn Manson of sexual abuse has retracted her allegations, claiming she was manipulated by his ex, Evan Rachel Wood, into lying.
Ashley Morgan Smithline was one of several women to accuse Manson (real name Brian Warner) of sexual abuse over the past two years.
In the declaration, she claimed she was “manipulated by Ms. Wood” until she agreed to “publicly spread false accusations of abuse,” referring to Manson’s ex-fiancée.
“I have bowed to pressure from Evan Rachel Wood and her peers to accuse the rape and assault of Mr. Warner as untrue,” Smithline claimed in a statement obtained by Page Six on Thursday. “Eventually, I came to believe that what I was told repeatedly happened to Mr. Wood and[others]also happened to me.”
Manson’s attorney Howard King told the outlet that Smithline contacted the musician last week to apologize.
“For a while, Evan Rachel Wood repeatedly asked me about this ‘repressed memory’ and said, ‘You don’t remember what happened,’ but she believed it for a while. “I had a lot of fun,” said King.
In a statement to Billboard, a spokesperson for Wood strongly denied the new Smithline accusations.
“Evan never pressured or manipulated Ashley. It was Ashley who first contacted Evan about the abuse she suffered,” a spokesperson said. It is unfortunate that the harassment and intimidation she received after her testimony appeared to pressure her to change her testimony.”
Wood first claimed in February 2021 that Manson had been abused during their relationship. The Westworld actress’ remarks were followed by sexual abuse lawsuits against him from Smithline, Manson’s former assistant Ashley Walters, Game of Thrones actress Esme Bianco, and two Jane Douses.
Last month, Smithline’s lawsuit was dismissed after she was unable to find a new attorney. reached.
Manson, who has claimed innocence, is now suing Wood for defamation on social media and for calling him a “rapist and abuser” in the HBO documentary Phoenix Rising. Smithline appeared in the documentary.