Nick Carter will not be charged with rape after fellow pop star Melissa Schuman accused him of sexual assault.
Due to California’s 10-year statute of limitations, the case of the alleged 2003 sexual assault has expired and the LA County District Attorney’s Office will not press charges, according to TMZ.
The Backstreet Boys singer, 38, was accused by Schuman, 34, in a blog post in November of forcing oral sex on her, before leading her to a bedroom and raping her.
In February, she filed a police report against Carter.
Schuman, who was a member of the 2000s girl group Dream, said she was she was 18 and he was 22 when the alleged incident occurred.
She told Page Six in a statement that while she was aware of the statute of limitations, she’s glad she made her accusations public.
“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. 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.”
Since her initial accusations, Carter has maintained his innocence and said that their encounter was consensual.
“Melissa never expressed to me while we were together or at any time since that anything we did was not consensual. We went on to record a song and perform together, and I was always respectful and supportive of Melissa both personally and professionally,” he said.