Wow. Innocent until proven guilty but how does this guy salvage his reputation and potentially his career? He was holding Texas hostage to force a trade to another team and now it appears he is in fact the hostage to these accusations. A press conference is scheduled tomorrow by the plantiffs' attorney.
Quote:Another lawsuit has been filed against Deshaun Watson, this one alleging the Houston Texans quarterback assaulted a licensed aesthetician "by touching her with his ***** and exposing himself."
The lawsuit, filed Friday night and made available on the Harris County District Clerk's website on Monday, says "Watson's behavior is part of a disturbing and escalating pattern," was the 22nd filed by Houston attorney Tony Buzbee since March 16.
The plaintiff alleges Watson "grabbed" her buttocks during the massage while his "***** was erect ... and completely exposed." The lawsuit alleges Watson told the massage therapist she had to sign a non-disclosure agreement before he would pay her for the massage.
The lawsuit says, "based on publicly available information, in a short time frame ... Watson used more than fifty different women for massages" and alleges that "Watson selected all of these women via social media, mostly through Instagram and through SnapChat." However, some of the lawsuits filed by Buzzbee reference Watson booking a massage through a spa or through another referral.
Buzbee also has scheduled a news conference for Tuesday where he says he "will address important and significant developments in the Deshaun Watson case."
Along with the 22 women who have filed lawsuits against Watson, 18 women released statements through Rusty Hardin, Watson's lawyer, saying they have worked with the Texans quarterback and that he "never made them feel uncomfortable or demanded anything outside the scope of a professional massage." Watson's attorney said the statements were voluntary and from women who have collectively "worked with Deshaun more than 130 times over the past five years."
It is not known whether the additional 10 women Buzbee is referring to are other women he has talked through this process.
On Friday, the Houston Police Department said in a statement that it has launched an investigation concerning Watson after a complainant filed a report.
"As with any allegation, the Houston Police Department is now conducting an investigation and will not comment further during the investigative process," the department said in a statement. It did not specify what Watson is being accused of in the complaint.
Watson's lawyer, Rusty Hardin, said in a statement later on Friday that he and Watson will "fully cooperate with the Houston Police Department."
"We welcome this long overdue development," Hardin said. "Now we will learn the identity of at least one accuser. We will fully cooperate with the Houston Police Department."
Buzbee, in a statement Friday, said he wasn't personally involved in filing the report with police. He wrote on Instagram earlier this week that he didn't feel comfortable going to the Houston Police Department with any information and that he and his clients "will go elsewhere to provide our evidence to investigative authorities."
Watson has publicly denied any wrongdoing, and Hardin said last week that he believes "any allegation that Deshaun forced a woman to commit a sexual act is completely false."
The NFL said in a statement Friday that it is "continuing to monitor all developments" pertaining to the league's personal conduct policy, and the Texans said in a statement that they would stay in close contact with the NFL during its investigation.
In hearing things about their GM and owner... and the behind the scenes shenanigans... its like on hand I think its fishy all this pops up NOW, after the blowing up of team so to speak and trade requests.....
but I am sorry, at 21 by last count,..... smoke, fire, scorched earth? Something just might be up but it just seems way to convenient.
(04-05-2021 04:07 PM)PirateTreasureNC Wrote: In hearing things about their GM and owner... and the behind the scenes shenanigans... its like on hand I think its fishy all this pops up NOW, after the blowing up of team so to speak and trade requests.....
but I am sorry, at 21 by last count,..... smoke, fire, scorched earth? Something just might be up but it just seems way to convenient.
I definitely understand the “where there’s smoke there’s fire” but I struggle to believe the accusations when there’s astronomical numbers that appear from nowhere and simultaneously. It’s the real life version of hyperbole and I find it bizarre people buy into it. The numbers may be true but it’s just really suspicious.
(04-06-2021 03:12 AM)Erictelevision Wrote: It just might be a case of victims getting the courage to come forward after someone else has come forward.
It could be. The problem IMO is that the accusations are tantamount to evidence. No one has a recording of any conversations prior to or during these massages, leaving hearsay as the foundation of this case. The plaintiff lawyer is clearly aware of this as the case is civil, not criminal.
I don't think there is an outcome where Watson comes out clean.
I handled a civil case once where a guy was alleged to have inappropriately touched 12 different women (he was ultimately convinced in the companion criminal cases for inappropriate touching of 9 of them). Guy had a very successful and lucrative career, had a knockout gorgeous wife... he just could not help himself. I don't wholly buy into the whole concept of sex addiction, but he indeed seem to get a high from seeing how far he could go with these women and whether they would want to hook up with him.
Remember Bill Cosby? A lot of women eventually came out making accusations against him. Harvey Weinstein? It happens in this manner sometimes when it takes just one person to start the floodwaters rising. Again, Watson may be innocent but I don't believe the number of women coming forward should factor in to his guilt or innocence at this point. He'll have his day in court to defend himself.
(04-06-2021 10:36 AM)UCGrad1992 Wrote: Remember Bill Cosby? A lot of women eventually came out making accusations against him. Harvey Weinstein? It happens in this manner sometimes when it takes just one person to start the floodwaters rising. Again, Watson may be innocent but I don't believe the number of women coming forward should factor in to his guilt or innocence at this point. He'll have his day in court to defend himself.
I remember those cases well. But I just think having your day in court is pointless when there is no evidence and people are simply supposed to #believeallwomen.
The other thing with the Panthers is they are still somewhat recovering/remembering former owner Jerry Richardson's situation(s). Can't go down the road of back to back similar deals.