Judge Shuts Down Nick Carter’s Plea to Dismiss Sexual Assault Accuser Melissa Schuman’s California Lawsuit
Carter denies the accusations.
Jan. 18 2024, Published 10:45 a.m. ET
Backstreet Boys star Nick Carter suffered a small setback in his legal battle with Melissa Schuman over alleged sexual assault.
According to court documents obtained by RadarOnline.com, a Los Angeles Superior Court judge ruled Schuman’s case will remain in California despite Carter’s efforts to have it moved to Nevada.
Nick Carter sued Schuman accusing her of lying about the claims.
As we first reported, Schuman sued Carter over an alleged incident that went down at a Santa Monica, California apartment in 2002.
Schuman said she was 18 and Carter was 22 when he took her virginity despite her objections. Schuman, who was a member of the girl group Dream, reported the alleged assault to police in 2017 but no charges were ever brought against Carter.
Schuman then filed her civil lawsuit. Carter denied all allegations of wrongdoing. He claimed Schuman and her father Jerome had conspired with another woman named Shannon Ruth to shake him down for money.
Melissa Schuman scored a small win in court this week.
Before Schuman filed her lawsuit, Ruth sued Carter over an alleged sexual assault in 2001. The woman said she met Carter at one of his shows and the assault went down in his tour bus.
Ruth filed her lawsuit in Nevada court.
Shannon Ruth at a press conference announcing her lawsuit.
Carter countersued Ruth, Schuman and Schuman’s father for $2.3 million as part of Ruth’s case in Nevada. He accused Schuman and her father of coaching Ruth on what to say about Carter.
Recently, the boy band member asked the court to dismiss Schuman’s suit in California and have it fought in Nevada with the rest of the claims.
- Nick Carter’s Sexual Assault Accuser Melissa Schuman Fights Pop Star’s Attempt to Dismiss California Lawsuit
- Nick Carter Accuses Melissa Schuman of Playing Legal Games, Demands Sexual Assault Lawsuit Be Dismissed in California
- Nick Carter Reveals Bombshell Witness in Court, Ex-roommate Claims Pop Star Did Not Assault Melissa Schuman
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“All parties and important witnesses are residents of Nevada. There is essentially zero connection between this lawsuit and California,” he argued.
Schuman opposed the request. She argued, “The overwhelming majority of pertinent facts occurred in California and most of the witnesses are in California, not Nevada.”
Carter lost his bid to move the case to Nevada.
Her motion read, “Plaintiff’s roommate and childhood friend and Defendant Carter’s friend were in the apartment in Santa Monica the night Defendant Carter sexually assaulted Plaintiff; and right after the assault, Plaintiff informed her manager (who made arrangements to keep Plaintiff away from Defendant Carter while on set), her roommate, her mother, and another actor – all of whom are located in Los Angeles County.”
At the recent hearing, the court determined that while both parties live in Las Vegas the case will stay in California.
The judge noted that, “[Schuman] represents there are at least 15 nonparty witnesses currently residing in California, including [Schuman’s] roommate and friend, Defendant Carter’s friend present in the apartment, Plaintiff’s manager, and three other individuals.”
“[Schuman] also references investigations by the Santa Monica Police Department and the Long Beach Police Department which may be sources of proof of this action. While it may not be unduly burdensome for the nonparty witnesses to travel to Nevada, it would also not be unduly burdensome for Defendants to travel to California to defend this action,” the court ruled.
The case is ongoing.
Schuman’s attorney Karen Barth Menzies tells RadarOnline.com, “The defendant made a complicated argument designed to divert attention away from the facts of this case, but the issue is simple -- this sexual assault took place in California, and he will have to face justice here in California.”