Marilyn Manson’s primary accuser, Evan Rachel Wood is refuting allegations that she “manipulated” Ashley Morgan Smithline and coerced her into making false rape claims against the musician.
Wood and Smithline were romantically linked to the shock-rocker, and both came forward with allegations of assault and abuse. Smithline walked back her allegations against Manson in February, claiming Wood “manipulated” her into filing a lawsuit against Manson and pushed her to make false allegations against him, according to Page Six. Smithline officially dropped her lawsuit against him. Wood filed a declaration in the Los Angeles Superior Court Tuesday.
“I never pressured or manipulated Ashley Morgan Smithline to make any accusations against [Manson],” Wood reportedly wrote in the declaration obtained by Page Six.
One of Marilyn Manson’s accusers recanted last week and said Evan Rachel Wood manipulated her. In two newly leaked voicemails from the accuser to ERW and another person, she said Manson’s lawyers viewed her as the “weak link” who could be used to blame ERWhttps://t.co/Thaiv64be0
— Kat Tenbarge (@kattenbarge) February 28, 2023
“And I certainly never pressured or manipulated her to make accusations that were not true,” she added, the outlet reported.
Wood also denied that anyone in her network attempted to coerce Smithline and reportedly attached copies of her social media interactions with Smithline to defend her case, according to Page Six.
One of Wood’s social media attachments reportedly included a screenshot of a conversation on Instagram. The image reportedly showed a post from Wood and a comment from Smithline. She allegedly wrote, “when he had me captive in the stupid ballet studio, I cringed hearing him brag about replaying that scene from rules of attraction to you… I thought no one would ever talk about this…” Smithline reportedly wrote, according to Page Six. (RELATED: Marilyn Manson’s Alleged Victim Claims She Was Manipulated Into Accusing Him)
A judge denied Marilyn Manson’s request to include a declaration from Ashley Smithline, an accuser who suddenly recanted her allegations of abuse against the musician, in his lawsuit against Evan Rachel Wood. https://t.co/MlxLA1zxg9
— Rolling Stone (@RollingStone) February 28, 2023
Wood’s declaration stated the comment affected her deeply because Manson allegedly abused her while watching that movie, and nobody would have known that fact as she hadn’t publicly discussed that detail, according to Page Six.
Wood publicly named Manson as her alleged abuser in February 2021. She has made a number of allegations against Manson, one of which included a threat to have sex with her then-eight-year-old son, according to Page Six.