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Notably, the lawsuit faults Interscope and Nothing Records for failing to address claims of Manson “habitually and routinely” engaging in sexual misconduct with underage women.
By Winston Cho
Marilyn Manson is facing another lawsuit for sex crimes, this time from a woman who says she was groomed and sexually assaulted when she was underage in the 1990s.
Manson allegedly targeted the Jane Doe plaintiff when she was 16 using his celebrity to “groom, manipulate and exploit” her, resulting in multiple sexual assaults over the course of their relationship, according to a complaint filed Monday in New York state court. She argues Manson’s record label Nothing Records, an arm of Interscope, failed to protect her by neglecting to carry safeguards to prevent its artists from committing sex crimes.
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The suit is one of multiple after a recently passed New York law temporarily suspended the statute of limitations on sexual assault claims, giving adult victims of sexual abuse a one-year window to sue regardless of when the alleged crimes occurred. Manson, whose real name is Brian Warner, joins Bill Cosby, Mike Tyson and Fox News on the list of defendants named in cases citing the New York Survivors Act.
Manson, Interscope and Universal Music Group didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment.
Doe says she met Manson when he invited her onto his band’s tour bus in 1995 after a concert in Texas, where the age of consent is 17.
“While on the tour bus, Defendant Warner performed various acts of criminal sexual conduct upon Plaintiff, who was a virgin at the time, including but not limited to forced copulation and vaginal penetration,” reads the complaint. “Plaintiff was in pain, scared, upset, humiliated and confused.”
When Doe left the bus, Manson’s tour manager gave her a 1-800 number so she and Manson could stay in touch. The number came with a password that was “given out to girls while on tour to gain special access to the band,” says the suit, which notes that Doe began using drugs and alcohol after the incident to cope with the assault.
The same year, Manson allegedly invited Doe to a concert in Louisiana. The suit claims Manson started to groom her by complimenting her artwork before assaulting her.
“Defendant Warner then became more aggressive and again sexually assaulted Plaintiff, including kissing, biting her breast, oral copulation, and penetration,” the complaint states. “Another man involved with the tour was on the bus at the time Defendant Warner sexually assaulted Plaintiff. Upon information and belief this man was an employee of Defendants.”
In 1999, Doe reengaged communication with Manson, who invited her to travel with the band on tour. The suit claims Manson “laid the groundwork necessary to intimidate and control her” by offering her drugs and isolating her from her family and friends.
“Throughout the tour and while within the State of New York, when Plaintiff was with Defendant Warner both on concert days and on off days, Defendant Warner coerced her to have sex with him,” the complaint reads. “Defendant Warner often coerced Plaintiff to have sex with him and other band members or his assistant at the same time. Defendant Warner controlled what Plaintiff could do, who could touch Plaintiff, and who he wanted Plaintiff to be with sexually, all while providing Plaintiff with drugs.”
Notably, the suit faults Interscope and Nothing Records for failing to address claims of Manson “habitually and routinely” engaging in sexual misconduct with underage women. Doe argues they “knew or should have known” that he was a “serial sexual predator” and that they had a duty to restrict his access to drugs and young fans.
“Defendant Interscope and Defendant Nothing Records knew or should have known that Defendant Warner had a history of giving drugs to female fans he allowed backstage, onto the bus and in hotel rooms, and sexually assaulting minors and women before Defendant Warner sexually assaulted Plaintiff,” the suit says.
The complaint alleges sexual battery, negligence and intentional infliction of emotional distress, among other claims. The Jane Doe says she’s suffered severe emotional, physical and psychological distress because of the abuse.
Multiple women have accused Manson of sexual assault. Game of Thrones actress Esmé Bianco, model Ashley Morgan Smithline, Manson’s former assistant Ashley Waters and another Jane Doe plaintiff have sued the artist, detailing similar patterns of grooming and sexual abuse. On Tuesday, Bianco settled her claims.
Manson, who’s denied the accusations, won’t have to face the suits from Smithline and Walters. The allegations from Walters came after the statute of limitations passed, while Smithline missed a filing deadline, leading to dismissal of the suits.
After several women came forward with accusations against Manson, the suit claims that the artist orchestrated a campaign to harass and intimidate Doe. This includes publicly revealing sensitive information about her, hacking her Instagram account and paying a well-known YouTuber to try and discredit her.
The Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office is still considering whether to file criminal charges against Manson for alleged sex crimes that occurred between 2009 and 2011 in West Hollywood. Since the statute of limitations for rape in California is 10 years, it may be too late to bring a criminal case against Manson for those alleged assaults.
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