Nevada Supreme Court upholds Las Vegas judge ruling siding with Backstreet Boys’ Nick Carter in part of sex assault lawsuit

LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — The Nevada Supreme Court ruled Tuesday that Backstreet Boys’ Nick Carter can go forward with his countersuit against a woman who accused him of sexually assaulting her after a concert in 2001.

The ruling, filed Tuesday, Nov. 27, comes more than a year after Judge Nancy Allf denied an anti-SLAPP motion filed by Shannon “Shay” Ruth. The anti-SLAPP law, which stands for strategic lawsuits against public participation, is intended to prevent one party from intimidating another in the legal process.

Ruth was part of a 2022 lawsuit that claimed Carter sexually assaulted several young women in the early 2000s. Ruth claimed in the lawsuit that she was 17 years old when Carter, who was 21 at the time, gave her alcohol, raped her, and threatened her if she told anyone, documents said.

In February 2023, Carter filed a countersuit against Ruth and another woman named Melissa Schuman, who claimed he assaulted her in the early 2000s, however, the statute of limitations in that case expired before charges could be filed.

Carter denied both accusations. His countersuit against the women claimed defamation, civil conspiracy, abuse of process and intentional interference with contractual relations.

In August 2023, Allf denied the anti-SLAPP motion filed by Ruth. Ruth then filed an appeal which brought the case to the Nevada Supreme Court in an attempt to overturn Allf’s decision.

On Tuesday, the court affirmed Allf’s decision, meaning Carter can go forward with his countersuit.

According to the ruling, Carter produced affidavits from several witnesses that, if true, show that the assault Ruth described could not have happened.

Ruth said she met Carter in an autograph line after a Backstreet Boys concert, however witness affidavits state that Carter and the rest of the band left the venue right after the show and there were no autograph lines after that concert, the ruling stated.

Additional affidavits from the band’s security detail said the band, including Carter, performed a “quick out” after the concert in question, meaning the band “would rush to their individual tour buses and leave the venue,” stating “it would be impossible for any fan to be alone with any of the band members on their tour bus” due to security protocols, according to the ruling.

Carter also produced an affidavit from Ruth’s close friend who said she believed that Ruth did not even attend the concert in question.

“We conclude that Carter’s evidence, if believed, establishes that Carter did not sexually assault Ruth following the Backstreet Boys concert in 2001, such that Ruth’s statements describing such an incident would perforce be made with knowledge of their falsity,” the ruling filed Tuesday read.

A Supreme Court ruling on Schuman’s similar appeal is also anticipated.

Ruth and Schuman were named because they chose to identify themselves as victims of sexual assault. 8 News Now does not identify victims of sexual assault unless they choose to publicly come forward.