Los Angeles (California) [US], January 26 : Actress Evan Rachel Wood has issued a statement following the conclusion of the Los Angeles District Attorney's investigation into sexual abuse allegations against musician Marilyn Manson.
The DA's office decided not to press charges, citing the statute of limitations as the primary barrier, confirmed Deadline.
In her statement, Wood expressed her gratitude for the extensive four-year investigation into the case and voiced her "endless pride" for the more than a dozen survivors who came forward.
She stressed that the case's outcome is a reminder that "violent crimes should not have an expiration date."
Wood took to her private Instagram to share the following, "My lawyer and I were advised by the Deputy District Attorneys and the Sheriff deputies who investigated the case that there was compelling evidence to support our claims, but that the statute of limitations prevents many of those crimes from being prosecuted," she wrote, according to Deadline.
"We always knew that the statute of limitations would be a barrier, which is why we created the Phoenix Act so that other victims wouldn't have to experience this outcome," she added.
The Phoenix Act, which was co-authored by Wood, former California Assembly member Eduardo Garcia, and Senator Susan Rubio, was passed unanimously in 2020.
As per Deadline, the law extends the statute of limitations for domestic violence cases in California to five years. Wood had previously testified before the State Senate in support of the bill in April 2019.
However, Wood noted that while the Phoenix Act can prevent future victims from facing similar legal obstacles, it cannot assist those who were harmed before its passage.
"Unfortunately, the Phoenix Act cannot help in cases which occurred before it was passed, but I hope this shines a light on why it's so important to advocate for better laws," she continued, adding, "Evidence of violent crimes should not have an expiration date."
Wood's statement was released in tandem with that of her colleague, actress Esme Bianco, who is also among the survivors who have accused Manson.
Bianco, known for her role in Game of Thrones, had filed a lawsuit against Manson in 2021 for sexual assault and battery. The case was settled two years later.
Bianco expressed her disappointment over the DA's decision, stating, "Within our toxic culture of victim blaming; a lack of understanding of coercive control, the complex nature of sexual assault within intimate partnerships, and statutes of limitations that do not support the realities of healing; prosecutions face an oftentimes insurmountable hurdle."
She continued, "Once again, our justice system has failed survivors."
The Los Angeles District Attorney, Nathan Hochman, issued a statement on Friday explaining the conclusion of the investigation, which read, "We have determined that allegations of domestic violence fall outside of the statute of limitations, and we cannot prove charges of sexual assault beyond a reasonable doubt," according to Deadline.
In addition to her advocacy for the Phoenix Act, Wood has publicly shared her own experiences with Manson.
In an appearance on Channel 4's Marilyn Manson: Unmasked last week, she described feeling "so f-ing violated" and "essentially raped" by Manson during the filming of a 2007 music video, as per Deadline.
The investigation into Manson, whose real name is Brian Warner, began after multiple women, including Wood and Bianco, accused him of abuse.
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