Throughout One Assassination Under God – Chapter 2 , Marilyn Manson constructs a dark journey through death, violence, accusation, isolation, mortality, and the search for something beyond him. “Don’t Answer the Door” speaks of a voice being a guiding light in the darkness, while “None of the Suns” speaks of running away from the daylight and being “in the black.” By the time we arrive at “Lucifer’s Teardrop,” the journey has reached a different point. The darkness is still present, but the speaker is finally prepared to stand before what shines. “Lucifer’s Teardrop” is therefore less a departure from everything that came before it than a turning point within it. The fallen angel at the center of the song has been cast out, wounded, and changed by what happened to him, but he is no longer simply defined by the fall. He is “finding my way home.” That movement becomes especially important when considered alongside Manson’s own explanation of the song. He said that its title was inspired...
Ashley Walters’ lawsuit against Marilyn Manson has now been given a date for a civil jury trial.
At a Case Management Conference held on August 12th 2026 in Los Angeles Superior Court, Judge Steve Cochran scheduled the trial for November 15, 2027, at 9:00 a.m. in Department 306 at the Stanley Mosk Courthouse. The court also scheduled a Final Status Conference for November 10, 2027.
How We Got Here
The case has been through several rounds of dismissal and revival since Walters first sued Manson in 2021. Most recently, Judge Cochran allowed the lawsuit to proceed under California’s newly enacted Assembly Bill 250, and in June rejected the defense’s attempt to have Walters’ amended complaint dismissed. At that hearing, the judge said it was too early to make a final determination and that the case should move forward while the parties gathered evidence. Manson’s attorney Howard King described the ruling as an expected procedural step and said the defense would have the opportunity to pursue summary judgment later.
That brings us to this week’s Case Management Conference.
There was an unusual detail in Wednesday’s hearing. Walters’ attorney, Bina Ahmad, appeared for the plaintiff, but the court’s official minute order lists “No Appearances” for the defendants and states that there was “no appearance by or on behalf of the defendant.” The order does not give a reason for the defense’s absence.
The court went ahead with the conference anyway. The parties were ordered to meet and confer within 15 days concerning the case, including settlement and mediation. The order says that some form of alternative dispute resolution is to be discussed and accomplished by June 1, 2027. Jury fees have also been posted.
Howard King Says Summary Judgment Is Still Ahead
When the judge rejected the defense’s latest attempt to dismiss the case in June, Howard King made clear that he did not view the ruling as a defeat on the merits.
“This was not unexpected,” King told Rolling Stone. “It’s a clear invitation for a summary judgment motion. The judge telegraphed explicitly that we’re not at the right stage of the case yet.”
That distinction is important. The June ruling allowed Walters’ claims to continue, but it did not determine that her allegations are true. The court’s decision was made at an early stage of the proceedings, with the judge indicating that further evidence would need to be gathered before the issues could be addressed through summary judgment.
On August 12th Rolling Stone again received a statement from Howard King after the hearing: "We’re confident the case will never get to trial after the court hears our upcoming motion for summary judgment."
So What Happens Now?
For the moment, the case is moving toward discovery and the pretrial process. The court has ordered the parties to address settlement and mediation, while also preparing for the currently scheduled trial.
The official court order gives the case a firm date: November 15, 2027, at 9:00 a.m.
That does not necessarily mean the case will actually reach a jury. A settlement could end the lawsuit beforehand, and the defense has already indicated that it intends to pursue summary judgment. The court’s order itself provides for the trial date to be vacated if the parties settle.
For now, though, after years of procedural uncertainty, Ashley Walters’ lawsuit against Marilyn Manson has reached another significant point: there is now a trial date on the calendar.
Whether it ultimately gets there is another question.
At a Case Management Conference held on August 12th 2026 in Los Angeles Superior Court, Judge Steve Cochran scheduled the trial for November 15, 2027, at 9:00 a.m. in Department 306 at the Stanley Mosk Courthouse. The court also scheduled a Final Status Conference for November 10, 2027.
How We Got Here
The case has been through several rounds of dismissal and revival since Walters first sued Manson in 2021. Most recently, Judge Cochran allowed the lawsuit to proceed under California’s newly enacted Assembly Bill 250, and in June rejected the defense’s attempt to have Walters’ amended complaint dismissed. At that hearing, the judge said it was too early to make a final determination and that the case should move forward while the parties gathered evidence. Manson’s attorney Howard King described the ruling as an expected procedural step and said the defense would have the opportunity to pursue summary judgment later.
That brings us to this week’s Case Management Conference.
There was an unusual detail in Wednesday’s hearing. Walters’ attorney, Bina Ahmad, appeared for the plaintiff, but the court’s official minute order lists “No Appearances” for the defendants and states that there was “no appearance by or on behalf of the defendant.” The order does not give a reason for the defense’s absence.
The court went ahead with the conference anyway. The parties were ordered to meet and confer within 15 days concerning the case, including settlement and mediation. The order says that some form of alternative dispute resolution is to be discussed and accomplished by June 1, 2027. Jury fees have also been posted.
Howard King Says Summary Judgment Is Still Ahead
When the judge rejected the defense’s latest attempt to dismiss the case in June, Howard King made clear that he did not view the ruling as a defeat on the merits.
“This was not unexpected,” King told Rolling Stone. “It’s a clear invitation for a summary judgment motion. The judge telegraphed explicitly that we’re not at the right stage of the case yet.”
That distinction is important. The June ruling allowed Walters’ claims to continue, but it did not determine that her allegations are true. The court’s decision was made at an early stage of the proceedings, with the judge indicating that further evidence would need to be gathered before the issues could be addressed through summary judgment.
On August 12th Rolling Stone again received a statement from Howard King after the hearing: "We’re confident the case will never get to trial after the court hears our upcoming motion for summary judgment."
So What Happens Now?
For the moment, the case is moving toward discovery and the pretrial process. The court has ordered the parties to address settlement and mediation, while also preparing for the currently scheduled trial.
The official court order gives the case a firm date: November 15, 2027, at 9:00 a.m.
That does not necessarily mean the case will actually reach a jury. A settlement could end the lawsuit beforehand, and the defense has already indicated that it intends to pursue summary judgment. The court’s order itself provides for the trial date to be vacated if the parties settle.
For now, though, after years of procedural uncertainty, Ashley Walters’ lawsuit against Marilyn Manson has reached another significant point: there is now a trial date on the calendar.
Whether it ultimately gets there is another question.