Marilyn Manson​ Won't Face Charges Following Sex Abuse Investigation

LOS ANGELES, CA — Rocker Marilyn Manson won't face criminal charges stemming from highly publicized sexual assault and abuse charges, Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman announced Friday.

More than a dozen women have accused the goth rocker of abuse, including former girlfriends.

Manson, whose real name is Brian Warner, was the subject of a four-year investigation by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. During that time, the allegations initially plagued the 56-year-old's career. However, as the years dragged on without charges, he's made something of a comeback. Warner is currently on a world tour, and earlier this week he announced a series of U.S. tour stops.

Warner has maintained his innocence.

"We have determined that allegations of domestic violence fall outside of the statute of limitations, and we cannot prove charges of sexual assault beyond a reasonable doubt," according to a statement from the District Attorney's Office.

The DA's office praised the women who came forward with their allegations.

"We recognize and applaud the courage and resilience of the women who came forward to make reports and share their experiences, and we thank them for their cooperation and patience with the investigation," the statement added. "While we are unable to bring charges in this matter, we recognize that the strong advocacy of the women involved has helped bring greater awareness to the challenges faced by survivors of domestic abuse and sexual assault."

The news comes as a shock after then-district attorney George Gascón announced in October that "new evidence" had emerged in the investigation, "adding to an already extensive case file presented to our office by the" sheriff's department.

Among the women who have accused Warner of wrongdoing were "Game of Thrones" actress Esme Bianco, who sued the rocker in April 2021 but settled the case in 2023. Actress Evan Rachel Wood is also among Warner's accusers. Wood accused Warner of sexual and physical abuse during their relationship, which lasted from January 2007 until August 2010. His record label, Loma Vista Recordings, dropped him following Wood's accusation.

Ashley Walters, a photographer who worked with and for Manson Records from May 2010 to October 2011, also sued Warner alleging sexual harassment and assault.

In Bianco's 2021 lawsuit against Warner, she alleged sexual assault and sexual battery in what she described as a series of violent encounters.

The lawsuit, filed in federal court, alleged that Warner had used "fraudulent offers of movie and music video roles to convince Ms. Bianco to travel to Los Angeles, whereupon Mr. Warner then made threats of force and performed violent sexual acts on Ms. Bianco to which she did not consent."

Also named in the suit is Warner's former manager, Tony Ciulla, who is accused along with his management company of violating trafficking laws.

According to the lawsuit, Bianco was invited to Los Angeles from the United Kingdom by Warner with the promise of work, and after moving into the Goth rocker's West Hollywood apartment in 2011, she was not allowed to eat, sleep or leave without his permission.

"Mr. Warner raped Ms. Bianco in or around May 2011," the suit alleges.

Warner's attorneys said the allegations have no merit.

Attorneys for Warner have consistently denied the allegations. Attorney Howard King told the Los Angeles Times last year the accusations "are false, alleged to have taken place more than a decade ago and (are) part of a coordinate attack by former partners and associates of Mr. Warner who have weaponized the otherwise mundane details of his personal life and their consensual relationships into fabricated horror stories."

In 2021, the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department detectives raided the Warner's West Hollywood apartment in connection with the sexual assault investigations.

Detectives serving a search warrant took media storage units including hard drives.

City News Service contributed to this report.