A year after the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s office decided not to go after Marilyn Manson on sexual abuse charges, the shock rocker got a big jolt of justice Monday when a previously dismissed case from a former assistant was revived for trial.
“The Motion for Reconsideration filed by ASHLEY WALTERS on 01/07/2026 is Granted,” L.A. Superior Court Judge Steve Cochran ordered after a downtown hearing this morning that will allow a refiling. “Statute revives the claim. The Court orders the dismissal ordered on 12/16/2025 as to the entire action set aside and vacated. The Court vacates its previous order granting the summary judgment.”
Today’s revival of Walters’ case against Manson, real name Brian Warner, which was first filed in 2021 and seemingly killed for the final time just more than a month ago, is due to a new California law that gives sexual assault allegations more time to go to the courts. Signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom last year and taking effect just more than three weeks ago, Assembly Bill 250 extends by two years for individuals over 18 years old the “eligibility period for revival of claims … that would otherwise be barred prior to January 1, 2026, because the applicable statute of limitations has or had expired.”
As Warner has with previous claims against him from ex-fiancée and Westworld actress Evan Rachel Wood, Game of Thrones‘ Esmé Bianco’s now-settled rape allegations and others, the “Beautiful People” singer denied Walters’ accusations of sexual harassment, abuse, sexual battery, intentional infliction of emotional distress and wrongful termination.
First DOA in May 2022 because of “too few facts,” Walters’ claims were brought back to life under appeal and then deep-sixed again by Cochran on December 16 last year. “We have a situation where the complaint was not filed until about 10 years after the operative events,” he said of the initial 2021 accusations based on Walters’ apparently hellish stint working for the now 57-year-old Warner in 2010-2011. Cochran added at the time: “I don’t have the authority to rule that the delayed discovery doctrine would apply under the circumstances that exist in this case.”
That all changed Monday with the new law on California’s books and Walters’ reconsideration move.
“We are thrilled for Ms. Walters,” attorney Bina Ahmad told Deadline after today’s hearing. “She has never given up fighting for justice.”
Emphasizing that Walters’ longtime Hadsell Stormer Renick & Dai lawyers “look forward to continuing the fight for Ms. Walters until Mr. Warner finally answers for his abuse,” Ahmad noted, “She has had to overcome a lot of obstacles, as so many survivors are forced to do. Mr. Warner has tried time and again to avoid accountability for his abuse against Ms. Walters. But now, thanks to AB 250, abusers like Mr. Warner can no longer hide behind the statute of limitations.”
Cochran has set a Case Management Conference for March 27, with a trial to follow unless there is a settlement.
Manson’s lawyer says he doubts it will get anywhere near that far.
“Ashley Walters has been given the right to pursue a narrow claim of sexual assault under the newly enacted law, a claim that will not survive the next motion for summary judgment,” Howard King told Deadline.
“While Ms. Walters made several now-irrelevant claims about so-called workplace harassment, she has no pending claims for sexual assault as defined in the penal code, as would be required under the new law, nor is she permitted under the ruling to add new claims,” the King, Holmes, Paterno & Soriano, LLP partner added. “The undeniable fact is that Mr. Warner never committed any sexual assault which undoubtedly is the reason the District Attorney declined Ms. Walter’s request that Mr. Warner be criminally charged.”
Manson was quickly dropped by CAA and cut from TV shows and his record label in 2021 as allegations against the often openly sexually aggressive and denigrating (to put it politely; read his 1999 autobiography) performer emerged. However, as various case and claims have been tossed, countersued, resolved or kicked to the curb by various DAs, Manson’s career and placement among the guitar crowd has gotten somewhat back on track.
Following a solo tour in the U.S. and Europe this spring, Manson has a Live Nation-promoted tour with Rob Zombie kicking off August 20 in West Palm Beach, FL.
English (US) ·