All round
Marilyn Manson’s accuser claims she was ‘manipulated’ into lying
One of Marilyn Manson’s former s**ual assault accusers has claimed that his ex-partner, Evan Rachel Wood, and others “manipulated” her into making false rape allegations against the rocker.
Ashley Morgan Smithline, who is Jewish, previously accused Manson of forcibly raping her while cutting her with a swastika-emblazoned knife and shoving his fist in her mouth during s**.
However, Smithline now claims that those public appearances and the lawsuit itself were all a farce.
Smithline says either Wood’s girlfriend, Illma Gore, or Ashley Walters – Manson’s former assistant, who also previously sued him, contacted her in 2020.
The women allegedly proposed that Smithline participate in group meetings with others who claimed to be “victims” of Manson, including Wood.
Trending:
Smithline claims she was asked in the meetings whether she had been “whipped, chained, tied up, branded, cut, assaulted while sleeping, beaten, or raped” by Manson, and she allegedly responded, “No, this did not happen to me, and this was not my experience.”
However, she claims Wood told her that “just because she could not remember” those things “did not necessarily mean that it did not happen,” alleging it was possible she had “repressed” memories due to her alleged trauma.
In February 2021, Wood publicly named Manson as her alleged abuser for the first time.
According to Smithline, the “Thirteen” star allegedly advised her – and others – to do the same.
Smithline claims since she had begun to believe what she was “told” about Manson, she allowed Gore to draft and then post a statement onto her Instagram.
“The narrative ultimately posted to my account on or around February 1, 2021 contained untrue statements about Mr. Warner, including that there was violence and non-consensual s**ual activity in our brief relationship, and that I had repressed memories of the same,” the model says in her declaration.
Manson’s attorney, Howard King, tells Page Six that Smithline contacted him and his team of her own volition last week and has apologized to the singer.
“She was a reluctant participant [in Wood’s alleged scheme] from the get-go,” the lawyer says, noting that Smithline told him she never had any financial motivation for allegedly “lying” about Manson.
King also points out that the attorney who represented Smithline in her lawsuit against Manson, Jay Ellwanger, was allegedly “given to her” by Esmé Bianco, who had her s**ual assault suit against the “Beautiful People” singer.
Ellwanger tells Page Six that his response is “constrained by ethical obligations regarding client confidentiality, even to a former client,” but adds that the “specific allegations” we described “are categorically and verifiably false.”
King claims Smithline felt “uncomfortable” filming Wood’s documentary, “Phoenix Rising,” and very quickly realized she was not being “honorable.” When asked why the model continued to reiterate her rape claims to the press at different times, the attorney reasserts that Smithline felt “emotionally manipulated” by Wood, Bianco, and Ellwanger.
King also tells Page Six that Smithline has not been compensated for speaking in favor of his client and against Wood – which the model also affirms herself in her declaration.
“I never received any money from Mr. Warner and am not seeking any money from him,” Smithline says.
“I have no intention of refiling any lawsuit against Mr. Warner.”
She concludes, “Looking back, I feel I was manipulated by Ms. Wood, Ms. Gore, Ms. Bianco and Mr. Ellwanger to spread publicly false accusations of abuse against Mr. Warner.”
Aside from Smithline’s case dismissal, Walter’s lawsuit was also dismissed in May 2022 after a judge ruled that it had surpassed the statute of limitations.
Bianco’s case was settled outside of court earlier this year.
When asked whether the settlement was a way to financially compensate an alleged victim in order for them to “quietly go away,” King tells Page Six that Bianco was the only one who has gotten paid and that she got a “fraction” of what she was asking for.
“It was paid for primarily by an insurance company,” the top Hollywood attorney adds.
“Had we known that Smithline was going to come forward with this type of information, Brian would not have paid a cent even if it was insurance company money.
“We were facing months and months of legal fees, the insurance money was running out and the insurance company offered to pay a significant portion of the settlement,” he further explains.
King claims that it would not have been costly for Bianco to continue fighting the suit on her behalf because lawyers representing alleged victims are paid via a “contingency” fee, meaning the attorneys don’t get paid unless they win the case.
In total, more than a dozen women have made allegations of s**ual impropriety against Manson, but not all of them have pursued legal action.
Meanwhile, Manson has filed his lawsuit; he’s suing Wood for conspiracy and Gore for defamation, insisting they had conspired against him for their financial gain.
Gore previously denied accusations that she coerced women.
Wood, who dated the “Sweet Dreams” rocker from 2006 to 2010 and was briefly engaged to him, has maintained she has the “truth” on her side.


