Deshaun Watson's lawyer releases statement on sexual assault allegations |
Two more civil lawsuits alleging sexual assault and inappropriate conduct have been filed against Houston Texans quarterback
Deshaun Watson to bring the total number lawsuits to 16.
Watson's lawyer Rusty Hardin released a statement on Tuesday denying his client forced anyone to commit a sexual act. "I want to emphasize at the outset that we and Deshaun recognize that sexual assault and harassment are not only unlawful, but morally wrong. It takes courage for women to come forward to report being mistreated, particularly when they attach their names to a lawsuit. We do not take these allegations lightly. However, fairness to the accused is equally as important." Hardin reveals that Houston lawyer Tony Buzbee has refused his team's request for the names of the plaintiffs. "Opposing counsel has orchestrated a circus-like atmosphere by using social media to publicize 14 “Jane Doe” lawsuits during the past seven days in a manner calculated to inflame the public and malign Deshaun’s otherwise sterling reputation. In addition, the tactic of refusing our requests to confidentially provide the names of the plaintiffs so we can fully investigate their claims makes uncovering the truth extremely difficult. Anonymity is often necessary as a shield for victims but opposing counsel has used it as a sword to publicly humiliate Deshaun before the truth seeking process can even begin." Hardin has evidence that Watson was blackmailed by one woman. "I believe that any allegation that Deshaun forced a woman to commit a sexual act is completely false. And in the one case in which we have been able to identify a plaintiff, we have strong evidence showing the allegation is false. In January of this year, a woman attempted to blackmail Deshaun by demanding $30,000 in exchange for her “indefinite silence” about what she stated was a consensual encounter. It is our belief this woman is the plaintiff in Cause No. 2021-15613. This calls into question the legitimacy of the other cases as well." Watson released a statement on social media before the lawsuits were officially filed. "I have never treated any woman with anything other than the utmost respect," Watson said. "The plaintiff's lawyer claims that this isn't about money, but before filing suit he made a baseless six-figure settlement demand, which I quickly rejected. Unlike him, this isn't about money for me — it's about clearing my name, and I look forward to doing that." The NFL confirmed on Thursday that it is investigating Watson under the league's personal conduct policy.
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