Billy Corgan explains why he has remained friends with Marilyn Manson
The Smashing Pumpkins frontman said he did not personally believe the allegations against Manson, while pointing to a prosecutor’s decision not to bring charges.
Billy Corgan has defended his friendship with Marilyn Manson in a recent appearance on The New York Times’ Popcast, saying he personally did not believe the allegations against the musician. The Smashing Pumpkins frontman pointed to a Los Angeles County prosecutor’s decision not to bring criminal charges against Manson, whose real name is Brian Warner. His assessment is a personal view, while the allegations by multiple women, including Evan Rachel Wood, remain disputed.
Corgan said he did not want others to decide whom he could associate with. He described a relationship with Manson stretching back close to 30 years and said their families are connected: Manson’s wife, Lindsay Usich, has a twin sister who is married to Smashing Pumpkins guitarist James Iha. Corgan called Manson ‘basically a part of our family.’
What Corgan said about the allegations
Corgan told Popcast that he had known people involved and had information about the case beyond what was public, according to Variety and Deadline. He did not identify those people or specify the information. He said anyone guilty in such a situation should go to jail and acknowledged the seriousness of the accusations.
‘I don’t want the world to tell me who my friends are and who I should associate with,’ Corgan said, according to The Hollywood Reporter. He also said he had made his own assessment of the friend he knew. Manson has denied the allegations against him, The Hollywood Reporter reported.
Why prosecutors did not bring charges against Manson
Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman announced in January 2025 that his office would not prosecute Manson after a four-year investigation. Hochman said the domestic violence allegations fell outside the statute of limitations and that prosecutors could not prove sexual assault charges beyond a reasonable doubt, according to Deadline. That decision explains the legal outcome Corgan cited; it does not establish whether the alleged conduct occurred.
The allegations have also led to civil litigation. The Hollywood Reporter reported that Manson dropped a defamation lawsuit against Wood in 2024 and agreed in a settlement to cover her legal fees. The outlet also reported that Manson settled a separate case brought by actor Esmé Bianco in 2023. Those proceedings are distinct from the criminal charging decision Corgan discussed.
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Sources and context
- Billy Corgan Defends Marilyn Manson Friendship Despite Sexual Assault Claims Against Manson: “I Didn’t Feel That He Was Guilty”The Hollywood Reporter
- 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’Variety
- Marilyn Manson Defended By Billy Corgan Over Sex Crimes AccusationsDeadline
AI-assisted article checked against the listed sources. NewsJaws did not conduct interviews or attend the reported events.