Nick Carter is leaning on a new lineup of witnesses in his fight against Melissa Schuman’s civil lawsuit, telling the court that multiple people contradict her account of a 2003 sexual assault in a Santa Monica apartment. In fresh filings this week, Carter names his former roommate, James “Tony” Bass, along with other third parties who he says saw the pair hanging out that night and did not notice any sign that Schuman was distressed. The papers mark the latest turn in a legal battle that has been playing out in public since Schuman sued in 2023.
According to TMZ, Carter says Bass told investigators he saw Carter and Schuman “drinking, socializing, flirting and making out,” and that “at no point in the night did I observe Melissa to be upset, fearful or otherwise distraught in any way.” The filing also cites a talent agent who, according to Carter, was told the encounter was consensual and that Schuman later felt moral or religious regret rather than trauma. Carter’s lawyers argue those accounts clash with Schuman’s version of events and bolster his position that no assault occurred.
Background on the lawsuit
Schuman filed a civil complaint against Carter in April 2023, accusing him of sexual battery, sexual assault and intentional infliction of emotional distress, as reported by the Los Angeles Times. The Times also notes that Santa Monica prosecutors previously declined to bring criminal charges, in part because the statute of limitations had run out. Schuman has said she delayed filing suit until California expanded legal options for adult survivors of older sexual assaults.
Where the case now stands
A judge has ordered both sides to mediation and locked in key dates as the civil case moves ahead. MyNewsLA reported that mediation must be completed by January 2027, with a trial scheduled for May 10, 2027. Carter has also responded with a $2.5 million countersuit accusing Schuman of defamation and extortion, a move previously detailed by MusicTimes.
Broader allegations and denials
Schuman is among several women who have surfaced with allegations against Carter in recent years, keeping the singer’s legal troubles in the spotlight. AP News notes that Carter has denied the accusations and has filed lawsuits of his own against some accusers. Court records show both sides exchanging legal papers and engaging in discovery as they move toward the scheduled court dates.
Legal outlook
Court schedules outline depositions and other discovery steps as the case inches toward the planned trial, and attorneys on both sides are expected to bring pretrial motions. Earlier filings cited by MyNewsLA indicated deposition windows for Schuman and Carter in early 2026, and the judge has reserved time on the calendar for additional hearings. Whether a jury ultimately hears the case will hinge on how the court rules on those motions, what witness statements are allowed into evidence and what, if anything, comes out of mediation.
For now, Carter’s newly filed witness accounts give him another line of defense to pair with his long-running denials and add fresh complications to the story that will play out over the coming months. The case remains active in Santa Monica Superior Court, and both sides are expected to be back before a judge as discovery continues.
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