Backstreet Boys singer Nick Carter won’t face rape charge over 2003 allegation
L.A. County prosecutors will not file charges against Backstreet Boys singer Nick Carter, who was accused recently of raping a woman in 2003. Prosecutors said they did not consider the merits of the allegations because the statute of limitations had expired.
Melissa Schuman, a former member of the band Dream, went to police in February with the allegations against Carter, according to a Santa Monica Police Department report. Prosecutors said in an analysis of a police investigation released Tuesday that they declined the case because the statute of limitations for the allegations expired in 2013.
In a blog post, Schuman alleged that the now 38-year-old performer had forced her into a bathroom and forced oral sex on her and raped her.
Carter adamantly denied the allegations, saying that any sexual acts were consensual and that Schuman’s public revealing of the allegations was the first he ever heard of it.
“I am shocked and saddened by Ms. Schuman’s accusations. Melissa never expressed to me while we were together or at any time since that anything we did was not consensual,” he said.
Schuman on Tuesday released a statement saying she understood the prosecutor’s decision.
“My family and I were well aware of the likelihood that my case was not prosecutable due to the statute of limitations in California regarding rape, which was modified in 2016. It is unfortunate that the law isn’t fully retroactive to accommodate assaults that have happened in the past, regardless of how far back.”
She added: “It gives me great solace to know that my testimony is fully documented, investigated and sealed for the future if needed by law enforcement. I gave my statement, as did the other witnesses. Speaking out was the best thing I could have ever done for myself and I hope it inspires others to do the same if it feels right for them.”
Carter is the latest celebrity to see allegations against him rejected by the district attorney’s Entertainment Industry Sex Crimes Task Force. The unit was formed after a growing number of allegations of sexual misconduct were made against prominent men last fall.
Twitter: @lacrimes
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