Month: May 2022

The total rises to 23 alleged victims

Just when the NFL has wrapped up its own investigation into the assault and inappropriate sexual misconduct allegations against Deshaun Watson, one additional woman has filed a lawsuit against the Cleveland quarterback.

The latest alleged victim, who had previously decided not to enter a lawsuit, changed her mind after viewing last week’s HBO special “Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel.”

The latest lawsuit was filed in Texas on Tuesday as first reported on ESPN.

This becomes the first new lawsuit against Watson since April of 2021. The suit involves yet another massage therapist who worked for New U Salon in Houston. Watson was the starting quarterback for the Houston Texans at the time of the allegations.

Rusty Hardin, Watson’s attorney, released this statement:

“Deshaun Watson vehemently denies the allegations, just as he has since she first discussed them with members of our firm in March of last year. She repeated the allegations on social media in August and he denied them then. The only thing new about her contentions is the embellishment making them more extreme than prior versions. Deshaun’s denial remains the same.”

From the onset Watson has denied all allegations surrounding these accusations. Two grand juries in Texas each reviewed the findings separately and neither decided to indict Watson on criminal charges.

Both the NFL and the Browns have declined comment on the latest lawsuit filing.

The HBO special first aired on May 24. In that presentation, Gumbel interviewed two women who have filed suit. Both were very critical towards the Browns for awarding Watson such a huge contract in the midst of this legal wrangling.

Descriptive allegations to the newest lawsuit are included in this article on NFL.com:

LINK: NFL.COM ARTICLE ON THE LATEST LAWSUIT

A portion of the new lawsuit states:

“In that (HBO) piece, plaintiff was struck by the courage of the victims willing to step forward and speak, and was extremely displeased by Watson and his legal team’s mistreatment and revictimization of the plaintiffs. But it was Watson himself claiming that even now he has ‘no regrets’ and has done nothing wrong that solidified her resolve. She brings this case seeking minimum compensation, but to obtain a court finding that Watson’s conduct was wrong.”

At this point nobody knows what the NFL will do as far as a suspension, although Watson’s new $230 million deal basically realizes some sort of disciplinary action will ensue at some point. The Browns even made his 2022 salary just $1.35 million in the event a suspension of game checks would become reality this season and therefore lessen the financial toll.

“I can’t give you a timeline (for a possible suspension),’’ Goodell stated on cleveland.com. “We are nearing the end of the investigative period and then it will be handled by our disciplinary officer.”

Watson has been participating in all of Cleveland’s OTA’s and has impressed onlookers, coaches and his new teammates. He has gone to three Pro Bowls including the last three seasons he was in Houston. Watson hasn’t played an NFL game since January 3, 2021.