In a significant legal victory, Nick Carter of the Backstreet Boys has been cleared to continue his defamation countersuit connected to allegations of sexual assault from the early 2000s. The Nevada Supreme Court delivered its ruling this Tuesday, notably supporting Carter’s claims of being falsely accused.
The court’s decision pivots on evidence suggesting the allegations were not only unfounded but also part of an alleged scheme to malign and extort the singer, KLAS reported.
Back in 2022, singer Melissa Schuman accused Nick Carter of sexually assaulting her in 2003. This accusation was soon followed by another from Shannon Ruth, who claimed that Carter had raped her after a concert when she was 17, and he was 21. Ruth’s lawsuit alleged that Carter provided her with alcohol and issued threats against her.
However, the scrutiny of these claims under legal examination has unveiled potential discrepancies and motives that call into question their authenticity. A close friend of Ruth attested in an affidavit that Ruth may not have been present at the concert where the alleged encounter with Carter occurred.
Evidence submitted during the proceedings indicated that Melissa Schuman and her father, Jerome, along with Ruth and Carter's brother Aaron, may have colluded to fabricate the story against Nick Carter. The court recognized significant alterations in Schuman’s narrative over time and considered evidence that painted the sexual interactions she described as consensual.
The justices pointed out that "All of this evidence, when viewed in the light most favorable to Carter arguably demonstrates that the sexual interactions between him and Melissa were consensual, that Melissa knew she was not sexually assaulted, and that the Schumans, Ruth, and Aaron conspired to defame Carter," highlighting the manipulated nature of the accusations.
In a previous ruling from November regarding the allegations made by Ruth, the court had again sided with Carter, denoting a pattern in the judicial outcomes favoring the singer's version of events. The legal battles have purportedly caused Carter financial harm, with claims of losses exceeding $2.3 million due to impacts on his career, including canceled promotional events and a scrapped Christmas TV special.
Responding to the ruling, Carter’s legal team expressed a stern outlook on the justice served. "The Schumans and their co-conspirators have run out of excuses and will finally be held accountable for their protracted campaign to defame and extort Mr. Carter," stated Carter’s attorneys Liane Wakayama and Dale Hayes Jr. This highlights the relief and vindication felt by the singer’s camp.
As part of their legal strategy, Carter’s attorneys emphasized the importance of the evidence demonstrating the Schumans’ knowledge of the falsehood of their statements or their reckless disregard for their veracity. This played a crucial role in the court’s decision, with justices stating, “We conclude that Carter provided sufficient evidence that, if believed, shows that the Schumans published defamatory statements with the knowledge that they were false or with reckless disregard for their veracity.”
While the court processes unfold, the case draws divided public reactions, with both Ruth and Schuman self-identifying as victims of sexual assault, contributing to the complex societal dialogues around such accusations and celebrity status. Carter’s countersuit will progress to a district court trial scheduled for February 2026, which promises to be a closely watched legal spectacle, potentially setting precedents for similar cases in the future.
The ongoing legal proceedings will likely continue to capture attention, as they delve not only into the personal histories and interactions of those involved but also into the broader implications of how sexual assault allegations are contested in the public and legal arenas.
