Nick Carter Seeks Dismissal Of Sex Assault Lawsuit

SANTA MONICA, CA — A lawsuit by a former member of the girl band Dream against Backstreet Boys member Nick Carter, alleging he raped her in his Santa Monica apartment in 2003, should be dismissed because it was filed in the wrong state, the "Hurts to Love You" singer's attorneys allege in new court papers.

Melissa Schuman's Santa Monica Superior Court lawsuit alleges sexual battery, sexual assault and intentional infliction of emotional distress. Schuman also names as a defendant Carter's company, Kaotic Productions. She first went public with her allegations against Carter in 2017.

But in court papers filed Tuesday with Judge Lisa K. Sepe-Wiesenfeld, the 43-year-old Carter's lawyers maintain that although Schuman maintains she was assaulted in California, the alleged attack occurred more than 20 years ago and both Schuman and Carter now live in Nevada. The same lawyers further state that even if the assault occurred in California, Nevada would be the convenient location for the witnesses.

In addition, another woman, Shannon "Shay" Ruth, sued Carter in Nevada in December 2022, alleging the singer sexually assaulted her on his tour bus after a Backstreet Boys concert in Tacoma, Washington, in February 2022.

Carter responded in February by countersuing Ruth, Schuman, and Schuman's father, Jerome Schuman, alleging that the three conspired for years to defame and extort Carter.

" The facts, legal issues, parties and witnesses from the Nevada lawsuit are essentially identical to the instant action," Carter's lawyers state in their court papers. "Both the Nevada Lawsuit and the (Schuman) lawsuit concern Ruth's allegations of a 2001 sexual assault and Schuman's allegations of a 2003 sexual assault. The same evidence and legal principles are at issue in both lawsuits."

Schuman filed her original suit on April 11 and an amended version on Oct. 16. She claims Carter invited her to his Santa Monica apartment in 2003, while both were working on filming a teen horror film called "The Hollow." The lawsuit contends that Carter, who was with a male friend, invited her over to "hang out and play video games."

Schuman went to his apartment with her roommate, and while there, Carter began making cocktails, and the lawsuit contends he put some type of drug in her drink. Carter led her to a back office under the pretense of sharing some new music he was working on, but he began sexually assaulting her, eventually raping her in a bedroom, the lawsuit states.

In a previous statement, Carter's attorney denied Schuman's allegations.

"Melissa Schuman has been peddling this tale for many years," attorney Liane Wakayama said in a statement. "But her allegation was false when she first made it back in 2017, and it still is."

Schuman's lawyers contend that Carter has engaged in a pattern of "online intimidation" against Schuman in an effort to discredit her allegations against the singer. The lawsuit claims Carter used his "fan engagement team to encourage (Carter's) dedicated fan base to engage in internet intimidation in an effort to intimidate, blame, harass and discredit plaintiff online."

City News Service