A former Marilyn Manson assistant has once again revived her sexual assault lawsuit against the controversial rock star.
Ashley Walters’ civil claims against Manson (born Brian Warner) have ping-ponged through the courts since being brought in 2021, later dismissed, reignited on appeal and then again dismissed as untimely this past December. The whiplash continued on Monday (Jan. 26), when Judge Steve Cochran reopened the case due to a new California law.
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Assembly Bill 250, which went into effect Jan. 1, opens a two-year window for alleged victims of sexual abuse to file otherwise time-barred lawsuits against their perpetrators. Judge Cochran ruled that this new window allows Walters to bypass the two-year statute of limitations for her claims, which allege Manson subjected her to “sexual exploitation, manipulation and psychological abuse” from 2010 to 2011.
“The motion for reconsideration filed by Ashley Walters on Jan. 7, 2026, is granted,” reads a brief court order. “Statute revives the claim. The court orders the dismissal ordered on Dec. 16, 2025, as to the entire action set aside and vacated.”
In a statement on Monday, Walters’ attorney Kate McFarlane of the firm Hadsell Stormer Renick & Dai said they’re “thrilled” with the judge’s decision.
“Mr. Warner has tried time and again to avoid accountability for his abuse against Ms. Walters,” said McFarlane. “But now, time is no longer an obstacle Ms. Walters will be forced to overcome. AB 250 has created a path forward for her and so many women like her to finally hold their abusers accountable. We look forward to continuing to fiercely advocate for Ms. Walters until Mr. Warner finally answers for his abuse.”
Meanwhile, Manson’s lawyer, Howard King of King Holmes Paterno & Soriano, told Billboard that they are not done fighting against the revival of Walters’ claims.
“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,” said King. “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. Going forward, we will seek dismissal of the amended complaint on the grounds the allegations do not fall within the scope of the new statute.”
Walters is one of several women who have accused Manson of sexual abuse in recent years, beginning when his former fiancée, Evan Rachel Wood, came forward with claims of grooming and sexual abuse on Twitter in 2021.
Numerous women then sued Manson for sexual assault, including Game of Thrones actress Esmé Bianco and model Ashley Morgan Smithline. Manson has denied all of the allegations, and prosecutors closed a four-year criminal investigation last year without charges.
Manson settled with Bianco in 2023, and Smithline ended up dropping her claims. Manson sued Wood for defamation over her online accusations, though a judge dismissed much of that case in 2023, and the singer ultimately agreed to pay his ex-fiancée $327,000 in legal fees.
Walters’ lawsuit has had a more complicated path. The former assistant’s 2021 claims, which alleged that Manson whipped her, forced her to stay awake for 48 hours by feeding her cocaine and “offered” her sexually to friends and associates, were dismissed by Judge Cochran as untimely in 2022.
A California appeals court revived the lawsuit in 2023, saying it might be fair game under the so-called delayed discovery rule since Walters claimed the trauma of these incidents caused her to suppress the memories for many years.
The appellate court sent the case back down to Judge Cochran for more litigation to see whether there was actual evidence of Walters suppressing her memories. The judge was ultimately unconvinced, ruling this December that the delayed discovery rule was inapplicable.
Judge Cochran said Monday, however, that his previous ruling is now moot as a result of AB 250 temporarily doing away with the statute of limitations for sex abuse claims. Manson’s team plans to keep challenging this determination, and a follow-up court appearance is set for March.
