Within the newest twist in Marilyn Manson’s battle towards allegations of sexual crimes, Evan Rachel Wood is just not solely rejecting claims that she coerced one other girl into saying the shock rocker raped her, however that the accuser was pressured to recant..
“I by no means pressured or manipulated Ashley Morgan Smithline to make any accusations towards Plaintiff Brian Warner, and I definitely by no means pressured or manipulated her to make accusations that weren’t true,” says Wooden in a declaration filed yesterday in LA Superior Courtroom. “It was Ms. Smithline who first contacted me in March 2019,” states the Westworld actress within the doc (read it here).
“Ms. Smithline has all the time instructed me that she was abused by Mr. Warner,” Woods bluntly provides within the social medial exhibit wealthy declaration. The current stark about face by Smithline, a month after her 2021 lawsuit towards Manson a.ok.a. Warner was dismissed by default, finds attorneys for the much-accused singer and Wooden in court docket immediately in DTLA in entrance of a busy Choose Teresa Beaudet over whether or not the mannequin’s declaration ought to be allowed in Manson’s March 2022 case towards his former fiancée and her abuse allegations.
As varied different circumstances towards Manson settle or are tossed out, Wooden’s lawyer Michael J. Kump says Smithline’s declaration is “inadmissible” and likewise asserts that any manipulation or strain got here from a supply aside from his activist consumer.
“In sum, Plaintiff asks this Courtroom to consider that Smithline was one way or the other ‘pressured’ into making false accusations when different girls shared their experiences together with her and allegedly talked about repressed reminiscences (regardless that Smithline was the one who reached out to Wooden about Plaintiff’s abuse),” the Kinsella Weitzman Iser Kump Holley LLP companion declares in a February 27 opposition movement (read it here). “However the true strain Smithline confronted was to not make allegations towards Plaintiff—it was to retract them. Smithline’s declaration is subsequently wholly unreliable,” he continues (italics Kump’s) Within the screengrabs accompanying Wooden’s declaration Smithline seems to point repeatedly that Manson’s lawyer Howard King has been making an attempt to get in contact together with her.
Within the highlight himself, King insists the main focus ought to be on Woods.
“It’s unsurprising that Evan Rachel Wooden is desperately preventing to maintain Ashley Smithline’s testimony out of court docket – as a result of she is aware of the reality will expose her plot to govern the ladies who trusted her with the intention to destroy Brian Warner,” says the King, Holmes, Paterno & Soriano companion. “Brian Warner by no means abused anybody. Ashley Smithline has instructed the reality. It’s sadly predictable that Evan Rachel Wooden – somebody who has already filed a cast FBI letter below oath in different court docket proceedings – stays dedicated to not doing the identical.”
Stepping apart for a second of who allegedly pressured who, there isn’t any doubt that mannequin Smithline seems in Phoenix Rising, director Amy Berg’s movie about Wooden’s allegations towards Manson and her choice to go public with the claims from their 2007 – 2010 relationship. Sitting on the coronary heart of Manson’s go well with towards Woods, Phoenix Rising debuted on the digital 2022 Sundance Film Festival, the two-part documentary premiered on HBO within the spring of that 12 months – regardless of Manson’s finest authorized efforts to close it down.
The 12 months earlier than, Smithline sued Manson in federal court docket for sexual assault, sexual battery, human trafficking and extra out of their interactions over the course of 2010 to 2013. On the time, Smithline detailed claims of a gradual and escalating sample of abuse from Manson, together with choking and reducing her. As he has in all allegations towards him, the ‘Lovely Folks’ singer denied all of the claims.
Shedding her personal lawyer and lacking key court docket deadlines, Smithline’s case collapsed in early January. Her accusations that it was Woods and her shut affiliate Ashley Gore (who’s a co-defendant in Manson’s case) who put notions of abuse in her head quickly adopted to additional muddy the water as did Smithline’s personal new declaration.
All of which obfuscates the entire state of affairs much more, irrespective of if Smithline’s declaration is entered into the case in assist of Manson’s anti-SLAPP strikes or not, Woods’ lawyer predicts.
“Sadly, the headlines that Smithline has recanted her accusations towards Plaintiff will unjustly enhance Plaintiff’s repute even when his ex parte is denied,” notes Kump in his personal movement.
“Certainly, these headlines will possible impression public opinion even after the Smithline declaration is wholly discredited,” the legal professional goes on to say. “And it will likely be discredited. Documented proof exhibits that it was Smithline who reached out to Wooden about Plaintiff’s abuse greater than a 12 months earlier than Smithline now claims Defendants one way or the other satisfied her that she was abused. Plaintiff has subsequently failed to fulfill his burden to show good trigger for the reduction sought.”
Manson’s 2022 lawsuit towards Wooden got here just over a year after the previous Emmy nominee went on-line and referred to as out her now 54-year previous ex for “horrifically” abusing and “grooming” throughout their three 12 months relationship – which came about when Wooden was in her teenagers. Shedding his company, his TV gigs and his document label in fast succession, Manson’s preliminary response in 2021 was to assert Wooden’s allegations have been “horrible distortions of actuality.”
A 12 months later he made that official with a jury looking for lawsuit.
