Billy Corgan Says He’s Stood by Marilyn Manson Despite Sex Abuse Claims Because He ‘Didn’t Feel He Was Guilty’: ‘I Don’t Want the World to Tell Me Who My Friends Are’
Billy Corgan says he has stood by his longtime friend Marilyn Manson because he did not believe Manson was guilty of the allegations against him. The Smashing Pumpkins frontman said he resents being told whom to associate with, while stressing that serious accusations should be judged case by case and that anyone guilty should go to prison.
Corgan said he had known Manson for nearly 30 years and had insight into the case, and noted that family ties also connect them. Manson has faced allegations from more than a dozen women, including Evan Rachel Wood and actor Esmé Blanco; he denied the claims and sued Wood for defamation, then dropped the suit in 2024 and was ordered to pay her legal fees. Los Angeles prosecutors declined to pursue cases in 2018 because the statute of limitations had expired, and in 2025 decided not to prosecute Manson over sexual assault and domestic violence allegations.
In short
- Corgan says he did not believe Manson was guilty.
- He says their friendship spans nearly 30 years.
- Prosecutors declined to prosecute Manson in 2025.
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Corgan’s position can be understood as a defence of personal loyalty and individual judgement: a long friendship may give him context that outsiders lack, and accusations should be assessed on evidence rather than treated as proof of guilt. He also says that anyone found guilty should face prison, while objecting to public pressure dictating whom he may associate with.
The case against
The case for distancing oneself is that publicly standing by someone facing allegations from many women can appear to discount their accounts and may discourage others from speaking out. Friendship and claimed personal insight do not establish what happened, so critics may argue that restraint is appropriate while allegations are taken seriously and assessed through fair processes.