Marilyn Manson has dropped his defamation lawsuit against Evan Rachel Wood and agreed to pay approximately $327,000 in legal fees. The lawsuit, initially filed in March 2022, came shortly before the release of Wood's documentary "Phoenix Rising," which detailed allegations of sexual abuse against the musician.

Wood's legal representatives stated that Manson's lawsuit was a publicity stunt intended to undermine his accusers' credibility and revive his career. The court found Manson's claims to be meritless, leading to his decision to abandon the lawsuit.

Photo Credit: Marilyn Manson by Livioandronico2013 / CC by 4.0

Earlier this spring, Manson attempted to settle by offering to pay a portion of Wood's fees in exchange for confidentiality. Wood rejected this offer, refusing to agree to confidentiality terms. Subsequently, Manson agreed to drop the suit entirely and pay her full legal fees.

The original lawsuit claimed that Wood and co-defendant Illma Gore had impersonated FBI personnel and sent fraudulent letters to Manson's associates to encourage them to speak against him. A judge previously struck down several of his claims, including allegations that Wood orchestrated a conspiracy against him.

The lawsuit's dismissal follows Wood's 2021 Instagram post identifying Manson as her abuser, which prompted more than a dozen other women to come forward with similar allegations against the musician.

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