Nick Carter; Melissa Schuman.Photo:Michael Kovac/Getty; Reed Saxon/AP/Shutterstock
Michael Kovac/Getty; Reed Saxon/AP/Shutterstock
A Las Vegas judge has ruled thatNick Carter’sdefamation countersuit against Melissa Schumancan continue, citing sufficient evidence to move forward.TheBackstreet Boysmember, 43, filed a countersuit against the former teen pop singer after she previouslyaccused him of raping herin his Santa Monica apartment in 2003 when she was 18 years old and he was 22.
The Anti-SLAPP statute is designed to prohibit lawsuits that are filed as retaliation against free speech through “expensive, baseless legal proceedings,” according to theReporter’s Committee.
Carter’scountersuit states he believes he has never met Ruth,and he denies both allegations.
Melissa Schuman.Matthew Simmons/Getty
Matthew Simmons/Getty
Ruth, who has cerebral palsy and autism, alleges she was waiting in an autograph line after a Backstreet Boys show in Washington when Carter invited her to his bus. According to Ruth’s lawsuit, Carter allegedly offered her a “VIP juice,” a red-colored drink, when she reportedly asked for apple juice.
The court documents allege Carter brought Ruth to the bathroom and demanded she perform oral sex on him. Afterward, she alleges Carter continued to sexually assault her on a bed.
Michael Holtz, Carter’s attorney at the time, told PEOPLE that Ruth’s allegations were “not only legally meritless but also entirely untrue.”
Carter wascleared to continue his counterclaim against Ruthin March.
After Wednesday’s hearing, Liane K. Wakayama, the musician’s attorney, shared in a statement to PEOPLE: “For years, Melissa and Jerome Schuman have been conspiring with anyone they could manipulate to drum up false claims against Nick Carter in a brazen attempt to get rich off of him. When Nick called them out on their malicious schemes, the Schumans tried but failed to have his countersuit dismissed and silenced.”
The statement continued: “Today’s ruling confirms that Nick will be able to pursue that truth to its inevitable conclusion and expose the Schumans’ and their co-conspirators’ deceit and deplorable conduct.”
Nick Carter in June 2018.Michael Loccisano/WireImage
Michael Loccisano/WireImage
An attorney for Schuman did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment.
If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, please contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) or go torainn.org.
source: people.com
