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Nick Carter Allegedly Suffering From PTSD Amid Sexual Assault Lawsuit
By Afouda Bamidele on July 11, 2024 at 4:30 PM EDT
The sexual allegations against Nick Carter have taken a toll on his health if his therapist is to be believed.
Geri Smith, a licensed marriage and family therapist in the Las Vegas area, signed a declaration in the Backstreet Boys alum's favor. There, she swears he has PTSD over the ongoing assault case.
Nick Carter became embroiled in controversy after Shannon Ruth and Melissa Schuman accused him of rape.
Nick Carter's Therapist Believes He Is Innocent
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As a part of his sexual assault case, Carter's therapist filed a declaration in April to support him against his accusers. The recently unveiled document captured Smith's candid reflection on how the allegations had impacted her client's life.
Smith recalled meeting the singer on November 28, 2017, writing, "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."
The therapist noted Carter was "extremely shaken and vehemently denied the allegations and how Ms. Schuman was trying to portray him as a sexual predator." After multiple sessions from December 2017 to date, the declaration obtained by In Touch claimed:
"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."
Carter's Therapist Claims He Has PTSD
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Smith continued to paint Carter in a good light, stressing that their time together only unveiled his best parts amid the sexual assault allegations. She noted his desire for justice, writing:
"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."
The therapist 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."
It is unclear how or if Smith's declaration will impact Carter's case; however, having someone in his corner must be nice. The sexual allegations began with Shannon Ruth, who sued the 44-year-old for alleged abuse on a tour bus in 2001.
Then Melissa Schuman sued him in 2022 for a similar crime, claiming the incident occurred when she was 18 and Carter was 22. The alleged crime took place without consent at a Santa Monica apartment.
Inside Carter's Sexual Assault Allegations
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According to Schuman's claims, Carter took her virginity despite her refusal. She noted the incident occurred at night in the Santa Monica apartment with her roommate, childhood friend, and Carter's pal present.
It was unclear if these listed people heard or witnessed the alleged assault; however, Schuman reportedly told her manager, her roommate, her mother, and another actor about what happened.
Schuman's manager, per the suit, made arrangements to keep her away from Carter while they were on set. She also reported the abuse to authorities in 2017, but no charges were ever brought against the singer.
Carter Tried To Pause Schuman's Sexual Assault Case
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Days before his therapist's PTSD claims were unveiled, The Blast reported that Carter had moved to pause his case with Schuman. He argued that their legal battle should be held until a Nevada defamation lawsuit was settled.
Following the sexual assault allegations, Carter sued Schuman, Ruth, and more for defamation. "Both lawsuits will be dispositively resolved when Carter establishes the falsity of Schuman and Ruths' frivolous claims," his legal team claimed.
The singer's reps claimed that Ruth and Schuman's cases were "identical;" however, the latter's lawyers vehemently refuted their statement.
Schuman's reps argued that Carter "ignores the many women who have accused him of sexual assaults that occurred before and after Schuman's assault in 2003."
Schuman's lawyers also bashed his move to pause the sexual assault case as "another procedural tactic to delay his requirement to respond to [the] allegations in a court of law."
Inside Nick Carter's Defamation Lawsuit
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Earlier in January, court documents obtained by The Blast revealed Carter was fighting against the sexual allegations with a defamation lawsuit. He named Ruth, Schuman, her father Jerome Schuman, A.R., and Doe @ElaineMoo Twitter Account Holder, as defendants.
Carter accused the group of a "five-year conspiracy orchestrated by Co-Conspirators to harass, defame, and extort" him. He alleged they used the #MeToo movement to bolster their smear campaign, with Schuman leading the accusations.
Nick Carter sued his accusers for $2,350,000 in damages plus attorney fees. However, he cannot hope to collect this compensation until a judge decides whether or not to accept his motion to pause Melissa Schuman's assault case.