Nick Carter is sustaining his innocence after he was accused of sexual assault by a number of girls.
Based on court docket paperwork obtained by Us Weekly, Carter filed a movement for abstract judgment on Tuesday, Could 7, in opposition to Shannon Ruth, who beforehand filed a lawsuit in opposition to the singer claiming he raped her when she was 17 years previous. Within the submitting, Carter’s authorized crew claimed that Ruth was “determined for her two minutes of fame.”
“Ruth’s objective was easy — achieve as a lot consideration as potential in hopes that Carter can be canceled. For a short second it labored,” the submitting learn. “ABC canceled the Backstreet Boys’ Christmas particular, A Very Backstreet Vacation, and Carter was left combating for his innocence and his household. Now, over a 12 months later, Carter has obtained all the proof essential to show that he has been telling the reality all alongside — he didn’t rape Ruth or anybody else for that matter.”
Carter’s legal professionals alleged that Ruth, together with different girls accusing him of sexual assault together with Melissa Schuman and plaintiff recognized as A.R. have “orchestrated” the allegations as a part of a “plan to garner fame and extort Carter out of cash.” Carter and his crew additionally accused Ruth of fabricating her testimony, claiming it was a “factual impossibility.”
Us has reached out to Ruth, Schuman and A.R. for remark.
In December 2022, Ruth sued Carter for sexual battery and accused him of assaulting her following a 2001 Backstreet Boys live performance. Ruth claimed the musician invited her to hitch him on his tour bus whereas she was ready in line for an autograph after the present, per docs obtained by Us. She alleged that Carter uncovered himself to her and had her carry out oral intercourse on him “beneath duress.”
Carter vehemently denied the allegations. “This declare about an incident that supposedly occurred greater than 20 years in the past will not be solely legally meritless but additionally solely unfaithful,” the musician’s rep informed Us in an announcement in December 2022. “Sadly, for a number of years now, Ms. Ruth has been manipulated into making false allegations about Nick – and people allegations have modified repeatedly and materially over time. Nobody must be fooled by a press stunt orchestrated by an opportunistic lawyer – there may be nothing to this declare by any means, which we’ve got little doubt the courts will rapidly understand.”
At a listening to in Las Vegas in March 2023, a choose dominated that Carter might file a counterclaim in opposition to Ruth after he alleged that she falsely accused him in an extortion try.
Ruth will not be the one individual to accuse Carter of sexual assault. Final 12 months, Schuman, who was a singer for the lady group Dream, additionally sued Carter for sexual assault and battery. Within the lawsuit, Melissa claimed that Carter allegedly carried out oral intercourse on her and made her do the identical to him regardless of her protests earlier than he raped her.
Whereas Melissa filed the lawsuit in 2023, she first made the allegations in a 2017 weblog submit and filed a police report the next 12 months. Carter’s lawyer, Liane Ok. Wakayama, denied Schuman’s accusations in an announcement to Us.
“Melissa Schuman has been peddling this story for a few years, however her allegation was false when she first made it again in 2017 — and it nonetheless is,” the April 2023 assertion learn. “A choose in Nevada just lately dominated, after reviewing the intensive proof we laid out, that there are sturdy grounds for Nick Carter to proceed along with his lawsuit in opposition to Ms. Schuman for plotting to break, defame and extort Nick, his associates, his pals and his household.”
In the event you or somebody you understand has been sexually assaulted, contact the Nationwide Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).