Buzbee denied that argument.
“Mr. Watson might now declare he had consent to do what he did to those victims, however let’s be clear — of their minds he didn’t have consent, PERIOD,” his assertion mentioned.
A lady who didn’t sue Watson instructed The Instances that he initiated intercourse together with her throughout all three of their therapeutic massage appointments.
The place are the incidents mentioned to have taken place?
Many of the incidents are mentioned to have taken place in Texas, however in line with the complaints, two are mentioned to have occurred in Georgia, the place Watson is from, and in California and Arizona, throughout his visits there. All the lawsuits had been filed in Harris County, Texas, as a result of that’s the place Watson lives and works.
Will the N.F.L. take any motion?
The league opened an investigation into Watson’s conduct in March 2021. In a letter addressed to Buzbee, Lisa Friel, a particular counsel for investigations on the league, requested the cooperation of the accusers. A league spokesman mentioned the matter was below evaluate in relation to the N.F.L.’s private conduct coverage. That coverage governs off-field habits involving gamers and coaches.
The Texans’ chief government, Cal McNair, wrote to season ticket-holders that April that the group took the allegations “very critically” and would cooperate absolutely with the Houston Police and N.F.L. investigations.
“Whereas we await the conclusion of those investigations, we specific our robust stance in opposition to any type of sexual assault,” McNair mentioned.
Hardin has mentioned that Watson is cooperating with all investigations.
How have Watson’s sponsors responded?
Nike suspended its contract with Watson in April of final yr, the day after two of the accusers gave public statements describing their allegations.
“We’re deeply involved by the disturbing allegations and have suspended Deshaun Watson. We are going to proceed to intently monitor the scenario,” the corporate mentioned in an announcement.
Lots of his different sponsorships, which included ones with Rolex and Texas companies, had been allowed to run out.
Who’s Tony Buzbee?
Tony Buzbee is a Houston plaintiffs lawyer who has labored on private harm circumstances for years however is perhaps best known for his involvement in mass tort and class-action circumstances, together with the litigation after Hurricane Ike and the BP oil spill within the Gulf of Mexico a decade in the past. He doesn’t seem to have represented many ladies in circumstances involving sexual assault.
