Nick Carter is facing a sexual assault lawsuit filed by a woman named Melissa Schuman. The singer requested the court to pause the proceedings, but the accuser pleaded not to halt her case as she couldn't deal with the Backstreet Boys member's fanbase, who have been sharing negative comments about her.
TRIGGER WARNING: This story contains topics about rape and sexual assault; reader's discretion is advised
According to court documents obtained by In Touch Weekly, Schuman, popularly known for being a former member of the group Dream, pleaded with a Los Angeles Superior Court judge to stop the singer from requesting to pause the case.
Carter filed a motion arguing that the case should be put on hold until the separate case filed in Nevada has been resolved.
In the opposition, Schuman's lawyer argued: "A factor specific to this litigation is the involvement of [Nick's] dedicated fan base who have worked tirelessly to discredit, defame and discourage [Melissa] throughout this entire process."
Her legal counsel added that the woman shouldn't be forced to receive threats or defamatory statements while waiting for her case to be litigated in California.
In early reports, Schuman accused the musician of rape in 2017. However, prosecutors didn't file any charge due to the expiration of the statute of limitations. Later on, she filed a civil lawsuit last year where she claimed Carter sexually assaulted her in 2002 when she was only 18 years old.
In the lawsuit filed in Nevada by Shannon Ruth, she alleged that the musician raped her in 2001 when she was only 17 years old. The incident allegedly took place after the Backstreet Boys performed in Tacoma, WA.
In addition to Schuman and Ruth, a woman named Ashley Repp also filed a separate case, claiming that she was assaulted by Carter thrice in Florida in 2003 when she was 15 years old.
The musician's legal team has denied all accusations, as shared in a statement to BBC News: "These are exactly the same outrageous claims that led us to sue this gang of conspirators... Those cases are working their way through the legal system now, and, based on both the initial court rulings and the overwhelming evidence, we have every belief that we will prevail and hold them accountable for spreading these falsehoods."
Carter's camp has filed three defamation countersuits against all the women.
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