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

Photo Credit: Marilyn Manson by Livioandronico2013 / CC by 4.0

Wood's legal team, including attorneys Michael Kump, Shawn Holley, and Katherine Kleindienst, revealed that Manson initially attempted to settle with a partial fee payment and confidentiality agreement. Wood rejected these terms, leading Manson (whose real name is Brian Warner) to completely withdraw his lawsuit and agree to pay her full legal fees.

The original lawsuit claimed that Wood and co-defendant Illma Gore had impersonated FBI personnel and distributed fraudulent letters to encourage others to speak against him. However, a judge dismissed many of these claims, including allegations that Wood orchestrated a conspiracy against him.

Wood's representatives stated that Manson's lawsuit was "a publicity stunt to try to undermine the credibility of his many accusers and revive his faltering career." The case originated after Wood identified Manson as her abuser in an Instagram post, which prompted more than a dozen other women to come forward with similar allegations.

The settlement marks a significant development in the ongoing legal battles between the two parties, with Wood's team viewing the withdrawal and fee payment as confirmation of the lawsuit's lack of merit.

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