The lawyer representing Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson says that the sexual abuse lawsuits filed against the player are filled with false allegations and amount to nothing more than blackmail.
In a statement released on Tuesday, attorney Rusty Hardin said that the player understands and celebrates women who are brave enough to come forward about their experiences.
“I want to emphasize at the outset that we and Deshaun recognize that sexual assault and harassment are not only unlawful but morally wrong,” Hardin said. “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.”
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.
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. (Please see the attached declaration by Bryan Burney.) This calls into question the legitimacy of the other cases as well.
Hardin also claimed to have comments by several women who served Watson as licensed massage therapists and they “describe him as a gentleman and a model client who never engaged in inappropriate conduct.” They also said he is an “outstanding, respectful, and compassionate man.”
“Again, we are taking the allegations very seriously but we ask only that people not rush to judgment, that people not be unduly influenced by opposing counsel’s antics, and that they let fundamental fairness to both sides rule the day. Thank you for your patience and understanding,” Hardin concluded.
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