On January 24th, prosecutors announced they would not file charges against musician Brian Warner, better known as shock rocker Marilyn Manson. This comes after a four-year-long investigation into multiple allegations of sexual assault and domestic violence made by several people. According to Los Angeles County District Attorney (DA) Nathan Hochman, the allegations are too old under the law.

“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,” Hochman explained. “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.” (But we don’t applaud them enough to give them any kind of justice because they waited too long).

“We are very pleased that, after a thorough and incredibly lengthy review of all of the actual evidence, the District Attorney has concluded what we knew and expressed from the start — Brian Warner is innocent,” Manson’s attorney Howard King said in a statement.

The Investigation

In early 2021, LA County sheriff’s detectives said they were investigating Manson over accusations about incidents between 2009 and 2011. At the time, his West Hollywood home was searched and the case fell to prosecutors by September 2021. However, the LA County DA’s Office did request more evidence-gathering to resume the investigation.

On October 9th, then-DA George Gascón said his office was pursuing leads that added to the “already extensive” investigation. Out of the multiple women accusing Manson, only Esmé Bianco (“Game of Thrones”) and Evan Rachel Wood (“Westworld”) have publicly identified themselves. An incredibly bold move opening them up to constant attacks from the singer’s notoriously loyal fanbase and the general public.

Bianco’s Legal Battle

Bianco sued Manson over alleged sexual, physical, and emotional abuse during the course of their relationship. Along with claims of human trafficking for bringing her to California from England for non-existent roles. While the case has been settled, she was also a part of the criminal investigation. 

“Almost four years ago, I did what victims of rape are supposed to do: I went to the police,” she said at a rally for the since-elected Hochman on October 10th. “I described to them in agonizing detail how the rock musician Brian Warner — better known by his stage name Marilyn Manson — had raped and abused me over the course of our relationship.” 

She says she turned over “hundreds of pieces of evidence, including photos of my body covered in bites, bruises and knife wounds, emails and text messages, threats to my immigration status” to investigators. 

Wood’s Legal Battle

In 2021, after months of talking about the abuse she suffered, Wood named Manson as the perpetrator in an Instagram post. The couple’s relationship became public in 2007 when Wood was only 19 and Manson was 38. They were briefly engaged in 2010.

“He started grooming me when I was a teenager and horrifically abused me for years,” says Wood. At the time, Manson responded on Instagram calling her accusations “horrible distortions of reality.” He ended up suing Wood accusing her, and other women, of fabricating allegations against him. The judge threw out significant sections of the lawsuit and Manson agreed to drop it and pay her attorney’s fees.

Reactions To The Verdict

“Whilst I am deeply disappointed by the decision of the District Attorney to not bring charges in the case against Brian Warner, I am sadly not surprised,” Bianco said in a statement released by her lawyer. “Once again, our justice system has failed survivors. Not the individual prosecutors and detectives who worked for years on this case, but the system that made them do so with one hand tied behind their collective backs.”

“Evidence of violent crimes should not have an expiration date,” Wood said in response to the decision not to prosecute Manson. “I am grateful for the work law enforcement has done, and I am endlessly proud of all the survivors who risked everything to protect others by speaking the truth.”

Unfortunately, she smelled blood in the water a long time ago when it came to the statute of limitations. This is why she was a huge supporter of the Phoenix Act, even testifying in front of the California State Senate in 2019. This act extended the statute of limitations in domestic violence cases from 3 to 5 years and was signed in 2020

“We always knew that the statute of limitations would be a barrier, which is why we created the Phoenix Act — so that other victims wouldn’t have to experience this outcome,” Wood explains.

A Widespread Issue

A statute of limitations may sound like a good idea in some cases, but survivors of abuse and domestic violence are often unable to come forward soon after the crime(s) are committed. Despite the fact that the media often paints these delays as proof that people are lying. The pause to bring charges can be due to any number of factors like needing to deal with the physical/mental toll abuse takes or fear of retaliation.

Taking time to rebuild physically/emotionally and gather evidence shouldn’t mean that any victim should lose their window to bring charges against their abuser. This has been a huge issue in countless legal cases, that lawmakers seem woefully apathetic about. Abuse is a complex issue and it requires a far more complex approach than the legal system currently allows for. Another contributing factor as to why sexual assault and domestic violence are wildly underreported.

Wood issued the following statement on her Instagram, which has since become a private account.

If you or someone you know has experienced abuse help is available. RAINN is confidential and offers several avenues for help including providing contact information for local resources.