Marilyn Manson has dropped his defamation lawsuit against his former fiancée Evan Rachel Wood and agreed to pay her $327,000 legal fees.
The goth rock musician, 55, had filed the 2022 suit after Wood, 37, accused him of “horrifically” abusing and “grooming” her during their relationship.
They began dating in 2007 when Wood was 18 and Manson was 37 and split in 2010 after a brief engagement.
In 2017, Wood said she had been raped and repeatedly abused and gave testimony to a Congressional committee in 2018, but did not name anyone in either instance.
The Westworld actor named Manson - real name Brian Warner - in a 2021 Instagram post, claiming he “abused me for years”.
She alleged in the 2022 HBO documentary, Phoenix Rising, that Manson raped her while filming a music video, made her drink his blood, and hit her with a Nazi whip.
Last year, Los Angeles County judge threw out much of Manson’s suit in which he claimed Wood had fabricated allegations of sexual and public abuse.
On Tuesday, Wood’s lawyer Michael J Kump told The Independent: “Marilyn Manson is giving up his lawsuit against Evan Rachel Wood and has agreed to reimburse Wood nearly $327,000 for her attorneys’ fees.
“By the time she named Manson as her abuser, Wood was already a longtime advocate for survivors of abuse. Wood had testified before Congress and the California Senate in support of legislation to expand survivor’s rights and extend the statute of limitations for domestic violence.”
Kump added: “Manson’s lawsuit accused Wood of defamation and intentional infliction of emotional distress, alleging that they orchestrated a campaign to cast him as a rapist and destroy his career.”
Manson’s attorney Howard King said in a statement: “After four years of fighting a battle where he was able to tell the truth, Brian is pleased to dismiss his still-pending claims and appeal in order to close the door on this chapter of his life.”
After Wood publicly accused Manson more than a dozen other women came forward with similar allegations against the musician. Several of the lawsuits have been dismissed or settled.
He has denied all allegations of abuse and sexual assault, claiming his “intimate relationships have always been entirely consensual with like-minded partners”.
Game Of Thrones actor Esmé Bianco filed a lawsuit against Manson in 2021, accusing him of violating human trafficking laws by bringing her to California from England for roles in music videos and movies that never materialised.
She alleged in the suit that Manson plied her with alcohol and drugs, locked her in a bedroom, gave her electric shocks, whipped her, tried to make her have sex with another woman, and threatened to rape her during the night.
Bianco settled her suit against the rocker in January 2023.
A criminal investigation of Manson involving multiple women is still ongoing.
The Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office said in October that they had just discovered new evidence and that a decision on whether to file charges would be made when the picture was more complete.
If you've been the victim of sexual assault, you can access help and resources via www.rapecrisis.org.uk or calling the national telephone helpline on 0808 802 9999
For confidential support, call the 24-hour National Domestic Abuse Freephone Helpline on 0808 2000 247 or visit womensaid.co.uk
