Nick Carter Suffering From PTSD and Ready to Fight ‘False’ Sexual Assault Allegations, Therapist Reveals
Backstreet Boys star Nick Carter was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder by a therapist who believed the sexual assault allegations against him were false, In Touch can exclusively reveal.
In Touch obtained a declaration filed by Geri Smith, a licensed marriage and family therapist in the Las Vegas area.
The declaration, dated April 2023, was filed as part of the ongoing lawsuit involving Nick, 44, and his accusers, Shannon Ruth and Melissa Schuman.
Geri told the court that she met with Nick on November 28, 2017. “I had a therapy session with Mr. Carter, and I learned that a woman from his past, Melissa Schuman, had recently accused him of sexual assault," she wrote.
She said Nick was “extremely shaken and vehemently denied the allegations and how Ms. Schuman was trying to portray him as a sexual predator.”
She continued, “In subsequent sessions starting from December 2017 and continuing through the present, I observed that Ms. Schuman’s public accusations of sexual assault had severely and negatively impacted Mr. Carter’s mental health, physical health, and overall well-being.”
The therapist wrote, “During this timeframe, I also observed Mr. Carter’s willingness to fight for his family, his reputation and for the truth to come out about Ms. Schuman’s sexual assault allegations despite the emotional trauma he suffered and continues to suffer.”
She continued, “Based on my personal observations and experience as a licensed therapist, I diagnosed Mr. Carter with suffering from post-traumatic stress syndrome that was directly caused by Ms. Schuman’s allegations that I strongly believe to be false.”
Shannon sued Nick over an alleged 2001 sexual assault on a tour bus. Nick countersued Shannon, Melissa, 39, and her father.
He accused them of conspiring together to create false accusations against him in an effort to extort a settlement. He demanded $2 million in damages from Shannon, Melissa and her father. Melissa filed a separate lawsuit accusing Nick of sexual assault in 2022.
She claimed the incident went down when she was 18 and Nick was 22.
Melissa said he took her virginity in a Santa Monica, California, apartment despite her telling him to stop.
The suit claimed, “[Melissa’s] roommate and childhood friend and [Nick’s] friend were in the apartment in Santa Monica the night [Nick] sexually assaulted [Melissa]; and right after the assault, [Melissa] informed her manager (who made arrangements to keep [Melissa] away from [Nick] while on set), her roommate, her mother and another actor.”
Melissa reported the incident to police in 2017 but no charges were ever brought against Nick. Nick has denied all allegations of wrongdoing.
He claims the incidents never took place. All the cases are still ongoing.
Recently, Nick and Melissa have been going back and forth about her civil suit.
The Backstreet Boys singer asked the court to put her case, filed in California, on pause until the outcome of his countersuit being heard in Nevada.
Melissa opposed the request. She argued, “[Nick’s] request would require [Melissa] to wait to litigate her California claims until after the Nevada case — currently stayed and on appeal — is finally adjudicated. This could take years. Additionally, California courts and juries are in a far better position to enforce and adjudicate California’s statutes addressing the problems with sexual assaults that occur in California than are Nevada’s juries.”
A judge has yet to rule.
