Former assistant to Marilyn Manson, Ashley Walters, has successfully appealed a ruling that initially dismissed her lawsuit against the shock rocker. The lawsuit, which was filed in May 2021, includes allegations of sexual assault, sexual harassment, and sex discrimination.
Walters argued that her case should not be subject to the typical two-year statute of limitations because she had suppressed her memories until 2020. The delayed discovery rule, which allows for extended filing windows in cases where victims bury painful memories, was applied in this situation. Walters claimed that Manson used threatening behavior to ensure her silence.
In May 2022, the trial court judge dismissed Walters’ case, stating that she did not present enough facts to invoke the delayed discovery rule. However, Walters appealed the decision, and California’s Second Appellate District ruled in her favor, overturning the lower court’s ruling and sending the case back for trial.
Manson’s defense team argued that Walters’ allegations were too memorable and happened too frequently for her to have forgotten them entirely. However, the court determined that its role was not to assess the validity of her claims at this stage, but rather to confirm that she had properly asserted them.
James Vagnini, Walters’ lawyer, considers the ruling a significant victory for survivors, as it reaffirms the legitimacy of repressed memories and delayed discovery. Manson’s legal team has yet to issue a comment regarding the ruling.
Walters’ court filings include various instances of abuse allegedly perpetrated by Manson, such as forced sexual contact, physical assault, and mental abuse. Manson, who has denied these allegations, has faced similar claims from over a dozen other women. In September, he reached a private settlement with a Jane Doe accuser who claimed he brutally raped her in 2011. Additionally, in January, he reached a separate settlement with Game of Thrones star Esmé Bianco, who had accused him of rape and battery.
One of Manson’s accusers, Ashley Morgan Smithline, allowed her lawsuit to end in default and recanted her allegations against him in January. However, another Jane Doe filed a lawsuit against Manson in the same month, accusing him of sexual assault.
Overall, the appeals court ruling in Ashley Walters’ favor has revived her lawsuit against Marilyn Manson, adding to the ongoing legal battles surrounding the musician and allegations of abuse.
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