Billy Corgan Defends Marilyn Manson Friendship Despite Sexual Assault Claims Against Manson: “I Didn’t Feel That He Was Guilty”
Smashing Pumpkins frontman Billy Corgan has defended his friendship with Marilyn Manson, who has faced allegations of sexual assault and abuse from multiple women. Corgan said he did not believe Manson was guilty of the accusations, while stressing that he was not trying to adjudicate the case and that anyone found guilty should go to prison.
Corgan cited his nearly 30-year relationship with Manson, personal knowledge of the case and the Los Angeles district attorney’s decision not to bring criminal charges. In January 2025, prosecutors said the limitation period had expired on domestic violence claims and they could not prove sexual assault charges beyond reasonable doubt. Manson denies the allegations; related civil cases have included settlements, a dismissal and a lawsuit that was recently reopened.
In short
- Billy Corgan says he did not believe Marilyn Manson was guilty.
- Prosecutors brought no criminal charges, citing legal and evidential limits.
- Manson denies the allegations; civil cases have had varied outcomes.
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Corgan’s defenders could argue that a long personal relationship gives him relevant context for judging Manson’s character, and that he is entitled to distinguish his own experience from allegations he cannot verify. The decision not to bring criminal charges, including prosecutors’ stated evidential and time-limit constraints, may also lead someone to withhold judgment while recognising that this does not establish innocence.
The case against
Critics could argue that personal loyalty can cloud judgement and that knowing someone privately does not establish what happened in relationships beyond one’s view. The absence of criminal charges was based partly on the limitation period and the difficulty of proving allegations beyond reasonable doubt, not a finding that they were false; publicly expressing disbelief may therefore minimise the accusers’ claims before they are resolved.