LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — The Nevada Supreme Court docket dominated Tuesday that Nick Carter of the Backstreet Boys was possible defamed and that he can transfer ahead together with his countersuit in a Las Vegas court docket involving sexual assault allegations from the early 2000s.
The ruling upholds a decrease court docket’s denial of an anti-SLAPP movement from singer Melissa Schuman, of the 2000s lady group Dream, and her father, Jerome. As 8 Information Now first reported in 2022, Schuman claims Carter sexually assaulted her in 2003.
Tuesday’s ruling affirms the district court docket’s choice that Carter might transfer ahead together with his countersuit involving one other lady named Shannon Ruth. Ruth filed a lawsuit claiming she met Carter at a live performance when she was 17 and he was 21. She alleges in court docket paperwork that Carter gave her alcohol, raped her and threatened her if she informed anybody, paperwork stated.
Carter denies all of the allegations. An investigation confirmed Carter by no means met Ruth, paperwork stated. Carter’s workforce additionally produced an affidavit from Ruth’s shut buddy who stated she believed that Ruth didn’t even attend the live performance the place she stated they met.
In response to the ruling, Carter’s workforce claims the Schumans manipulated Ruth into making these claims. The ruling additionally stated Carter claimed the Schumans “fabricated Melissa’s sexual assault allegations” and, with Ruth and Carter’s brother, Aaron Carter, “conspired to defame and extort him.” The Schumans argued Carter couldn’t show “actual malice” — a normal in defamation circumstances the place a celebration should present intent to trigger harm.
The ruling additionally stated Carter offered “ample” proof that Melissa Schuman modified her model of occasions through the years and that “the sexual interactions between him and Melissa were consensual.”
“All of this evidence, when viewed in the light most favorable to Carter arguably demonstrate 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,” the justices wrote.
This ruling permits Carter to pursue his defamation, extortion, and conspiracy claims towards the Schumans.
“We conclude that Carter provided sufficient evidence that, if believed, shows that the Schurnans published defamatory statements with knowledge that they were false or with reckless disregard for their veracity,” the justices stated.
It provides Carter offered ample proof to indicate that the Schumans revealed defamatory statements with the data they have been false.
“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,” Carter’s attorneys Liane Wakayama and Dale Hayes Jr., stated in a press release.
In November, the state supreme court docket issued the same ruling siding with Carter over Ruth.
Carter’s legal professional beforehand stated their shopper and the Backstreet Boys misplaced not less than $2.3 million as a result of allegations, which led to the cancellation of promotional occasions, endorsements and a 2022 Christmas TV particular, paperwork stated.
Attorneys for Ruth and the Schumans didn’t instantly reply to requests for remark.
A trial in district court docket was scheduled for February 2026.
Ruth and Schuman have been named as a result of they selected to establish themselves as victims of sexual assault. 8 Information Now doesn’t establish victims of sexual assault except they select to publicly come ahead.
