Siblings
Todd Manning
Written By: Nanci L.
The character of Todd
Manning first appear in Llanview in March of 1993, as just one of three
frat boys having a few beers at a favorite hangout, Rodi's Tavern. The
group consisted of Zach Rosen, who was studying to be a doctor, but
enjoyed partying with his friends more, and Powell Lord a cousin to Kevin
who were both also attending college and members of the frat house, and
Todd Manning who was a football star, but not much of a ladies man on
campus. While the three sat drinking beer and telling jokes, Marty
Saybrooke, a troubled young woman breezed into Rodi's in a bad state of
mind, and began drinking heavily and fooling around with the frat boys,
who took her up on her teasing. Todd and Zach urged Powell to get down and
dirty with Marty, but he refused.
A very drunk Marty took Todd home with her to her mansion later that
night. She talked to him about her very sad childhood as an orphan living
alone with her Aunt Kiki who was more interested in her niece's inherited
fortune than in her niece. Todd being more interested in sex than talking,
got Marty to bed and got what he wanted from her. As soon as he was done,
he got up and ready to leave. Marty begged him to stay and talk to her.
She just wanted someone to be there to listen, and try to understand how
she was feeling. Instead Todd laughed at her, told her she was to drunk
and left a tearful Marty alone and very bitter.
Even though Marty hated Todd for what he did to her, she still agreed
to help him with his Calculus so he could remain on the football team.
When Todd learned that he had still failed the class again and would be
cut from football team, he became extremely angry and violent towards
Marty blaming her for his failure. He swore to get revenge on her, and he
did not have to wait very long to get it.
The Spring Fling Dance was one that most of the college students looked
forward to. Marty who had not planned to attend, had gotten into a very
bad fight with her new boyfriend, Suede Pruitt. She showed up at the frat
house dead drunk and began partying and dancing wildly with all the men at
the party. Todd and his friends Zach and Powell started calling her "Marty
the Party Girl," and the scene turned quickly into mayhem. Kevin saw what
was happening and tried to take Marty home, but she was to drunk to do
more than just carry her upstairs to his room, where she could lay down
and sleep for a while and sober up. As she was drifting in and out of
drunken consciousness, Marty saw Kevin's face hovering over her, but was
to drunk to understand his words.
When
Todd Manning first skulked into Llanview, he was just another
arrogant
fraternity brother at the local university. However, when Todd
led the
vicious gang rape of Marty Saybrooke, he transformed from a
contemptuous cad into a heinous criminal right before our eyes.
Todd
and his fellow frat boys, Zach, Powell, and the innocent Kevin,
stood trial for that Monstrous act.
Todd had not missed where Kevin had taken Marty and his mind was racing
with the possibilities of what he could do with it. He called his buddies
Zach and Powell over and told them about his ideas for having “fun” with
Marty some more. They followed him upstairs to Kevin's dorm room and let
themselves in. Marty barely was aware as the three men came in, but she
heard Todd order Powell to lock the door, and when he refused he did it
himself. Marty perceived that something was very wrong and tried to escape
the room, but Todd grabbed her before she could unlock the door. She fell
into a swivel chair and Todd laughing menacingly spun her around and
around making her very dizzy from the spinning and the alcohol in her
system, to the point of passing out again.
Todd and Powell put her back onto the bed, and with the loud partying
going on downstairs, and the thunder from a passing spring storm to drown
out any cries for help Todd cruelly raped her. Stuffing a sweatband into
her mouth to stop any more screams, Todd allowed Zach to have his way with
Marty also. Then Todd and Zach together urged Powell to do the same, but
he didn't really want to and refused. Todd and Zach then taunted him and
kept chanting the taunts until Powell also joined them in raping Marty.
They left her there on the bed crying and semi conscious.
As soon as she could Marty got herself out of there and went straight
to the hospital where she met Sheila Price and Luna Moody. She was given
rape tests and counseling. The results of the tests came back positive for
the semen of Todd and Zach, but not for Powell. This would prove crucial
later at the rape trial for the frat boys. Marty pressed charges for rape
immediately at the urging of Sheila and Luna, but her accusations shocked
everyone. Marty's groggy remembrances of the rape also included seeing
Kevin Buchanan's face above her as well as Todd, Zach and Powell, and she
included him in her charges of rape.
Kevin denied the charge, and Viki of course believed in her oldest
son's innocence, and because of the lack of semen for Powell disclaimed
any chance that Powell was involved also. But the charges stood, and the
four young defendants all went on trial for the rape of Marty Saybrooke.
It was at this time that Todd's father Peter Manning arrived in
Llanview after hearing of the charges leveled at his son. He was furious
with Marty for accusing his son, but not because he thought he was
innocent, but because of the embarrassment to him personally. Peter
Manning hired the very best lawyer he could find, which turned out to be
Nora Gannon, the ex-wife of the prosecutor Hank Gannon. The prosecution's
trial was fast falling apart as Hank realized that Marty was really not up
to testifying about the events of the night of the Spring Fling.
Nora
(Hillary Bailey Smith) represented Todd (Roger Howarth, c.)
in court --
and later on, he kidnapped her. Also pictured: Sean
Moynihan (r.) as
Powell and Josh Phillip Weinstein as Zach.
Meanwhile Todd out on bail continued to harass and frighten Marty every
chance he got, trying to get her to drop her case against them. Nora
completely believing in the innocence of her clients proved herself to be
the best lawyer money could hire. Nora had all but won the case when it
was reveled that Marty had finally realized that she had made a mistake
about Kevin being one of her attackers. It was a real blow to the
prosecution's case when Marty recanted her accusation against Kevin,
making her look completely confused in the juror's eyes. They felt that if
she had made a mistake about one, maybe she was mistaken about all. Todd
and Zach had claimed that the sex that night was completely consensual.
Marty continued to cry “Rape” even with everyone starting to doubt her
account of that night.
Powell Lord was the one weak link in Todd and Zach's defense. Powell
was feeling the pangs of guilt at the way people were starting to treat
Marty because of what they had done to her. Despite all of Todd's and
Zach's treats to keep his mouth shut Powell's guilt began to eat him up
inside and it showed to more than just Todd and Zach. Marty and Hank tried
to play on his quilt, hoping that it would help to prove their case
against Todd and Zach. Hank went to Nora about Powell's feelings of guilt
and she began to slightly doubt the innocence of her clients as well.
One night outside of Rodi's Todd tried to attack Marty again, but was
prevented from another rape because of quick action by Luna Moody who
raced to Marty's defense just in time with a steel pipe and smacked Todd
across the face causing the scar that we see Todd with today. Later under
extreme pressure from Marty and Nora, Powell finally broke down and
confessed the truth to them about how Todd, Zach and he had indeed raped
Marty that night, but he was not ready to tell it to anyone else.
Nora struggled with what to do now. Her case was ruined, and she went
to Judge Fitzwater and begged her to let her drop the case, but a firm
Judge Fitzwater refused to let her do so. Nora was totally perplexed as to
what she could or should do. She was stuck defending three guilty rapists
while a smug Todd's chilling lies on the stand continued to make their
case look even better. As the trial was coming to a conclusion and Todd
and Zach were all but acquitted of the charges, Nora struggled with what
she should do. At closing arguments, Nora made a great case for the
prosecution, leaving subtle hints and incriminating insinuations. Nora
threw the case and the Judge was forced to declare a mistrial. She barely
escaped disbarment charges over it. Marty continued to push Powell to come
clean to the public about the truth of that night. He finally tearfully
gave in and did so. Todd who was completely outraged at Powell for doing
so, attacked and nearly killed Powell. Todd, Zach and Powell were all
found guilty and sent to Statesville prison to serve their sentences.
Marty appeared to be getting on with her life, but the effects of that
rape would long ripple through the lives of all the people involved for
many years to come.
Just
before leaving OLTL in a blaze of gunfire,
Patrick (Thorsten Kaye) and
Marty (Susan Haskell) wed.
Sentenced to Statesville Prison, Todd was befriended by
Rebecca Lewis,
a devout religious disciple who set out to save his
soul. When he
escaped from prison, Todd convinced sweet Rebecca to hid
him. Alone
with the innocent girl, Todd fell in love for the first
time. When he proposed
to her, Todd was enraged to hear that she had
already agreed to marry
his fellow frat brother Powell Lord.
The days when Todd shared coffee
with R.J. (Timothy
D. Stickney, l.) are long gone.
Taking much of Llanview hostage didn't win Todd
any
popularity points. Pictured (from r.): Gina Tognoni as Kelly,
Robert S.
Woods as Bo and Kale Browne as Sam
Todd's ex-wife, Blair (Kassie DePaiva),
may have
custody of their daughter, Starr,
but Todd could argue that he still
does.
With Jessica (Erin Torpey) Todd
never lays all his
cards on the table.
Todd
returns to Llanview in the Summer of 2000 and pays his sister, Viki a
visit after finding out she has breast cancer. Viki, Jessica and Sam
are the three people besides his daughter Starr that he truly cares
about.
(l.)Todd brings Viki a video of Jessica singing to reassure
her that Jess is okay.(r.) Todd tries to comfort Viki when she
discovers her hair has begun falling out from the chemotherapy
treatments.
