In December, Shannon Ruth sued Backstreet Boys’ singer Nick Carter for allegedly raping her in 2001. She claims he invited her to his bus after one of his shows in Tacoma, Washington – she was in a line waiting for autographs – and serving her alcohol before sexually assaulting her. She was 17 at the time.
Earlier this month, Nick Carter filed a counterclaim against Ruth and Melissa Schuman – who accused him of rape nearly 6 years ago. Carter alleges that he’s a victim of the #MeToo movement and Schuman’s parents groomed Ruth, adding that she was ‘vulnerable,’ ‘craving attention,’ and ‘desperate to fit in.’
He also claims that their lawsuits were intended to destroy innocent lives and resulted in the singer losing out on more than $2 million as his reputation, image, and businesses took a hit. The counterclaim was filed on February 2nd, but Ruth isn’t giving up and now has hopes of getting the counterclaim dismissed.
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On Tuesday, Shannon Ruth filed a motion aimed at doing exactly that – and she didn’t hold back. She’s now alleging that the counterclaim filed by Nick Carter in February was intended to ‘harass and intimidate’ Ruth in hopes of outlasting her in the court of law – taking advantage of his wealth and celebrity status.
Ruth is essentially accusing Carter of filing a strategic lawsuit against public participation – also known as SLAPP. These lawsuits are intended to censor, intimidate, and silence anyone who opposes them in a court of law by burdening and threatening them with legal costs that the plaintiff can’t necessarily afford.
Ruth’s original lawsuit and most recent motion, as well as Carter’s counterclaim, have been filed in Clark County, Nevada – one of the 32 states (and the District of Columbia) that have enacted anti-SLAPP laws as of April 2022. Those laws state that Carter must prove a likelihood of success before moving further.
The anti-SLAPP laws were brought up by Ruth’s lawyers in her recent motion. They accused Carter of using his wealth against Ruth by claiming she was just ‘seeking attention and publicity’ and is using the ‘#MeToo’ movement as an excuse to dismiss the lawsuit. They’re calling this the ‘definition’ of a SLAPP.
Meanwhile, Nick Carter Continues His DNA World Tour
Despite the sexual abuse allegations, lawsuits, and counterclaims, Nick Carter is continuing his DNA World Tour with fellow Backstreet Boys bandmates AJ McLean, Howie Dorough, Kevin Richardson, and Brian Littrell. The tour began in 2019 but had to be rescheduled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The band has already played in Brazil, Chile, Japan, Taiwan, the Philippines, and Singapore since the 2023 calendar year began. They’re set to play a series of shows in Australia between February 25 and March 8th before continuing their tour across the world – most recently adding India to their itinerary.
Not only that, but Nick Carter is still learning to deal with the death of his little brother, Aaron Carter – who passed away on November 5, 2022. In honor of his deceased brother, Nick released a tribute song titled ‘Hurts to Love You’ in mid-January and held a benefit concert to raise money for children’s mental health.
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As for his sexual abuse allegations and subsequent lawsuits, only time will tell how it all plays out in court. While Nick Carter aims to have the lawsuits dismissed, Shannon Ruth and Melissa Schuman are intent on ensuring their voices are heard and that Carter is held accountable for his past actions and behavior.
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