Deshaun Watson's Legal Troubles: What's The Verdict?

In March 2021, Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson was accused of sexual misconduct during a massage session. This was the first of over 20 civil lawsuits filed against him, alleging inappropriate conduct and sexual assault. While two separate Texas grand juries declined to indict Watson on criminal charges, he was suspended for six games and his behaviour was found to have violated the NFL's personal conduct policy.

Did Deshaun Watson expose himself without consent?

In March 2021, Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson was accused of sexual misconduct during a massage session in a civil lawsuit filed in a Houston court. This was the first of what would become two dozen civil lawsuits filed against Watson, with 23 of them being settled. The lawsuits were filed by women who accused Watson of sexual misconduct ranging from inappropriate touching to forced oral sex.

In the first two lawsuits, the plaintiffs, who were female massage therapists, alleged that Watson committed civil assault by exposing himself and touching them with his penis. They also claimed that they felt uncomfortable during the massages and abruptly ended the sessions. In the third lawsuit, the plaintiff, a massage therapist, alleged that Watson got more aggressive and forcefully told her to move her hand down to his pubic area. She also claimed that Watson forced her to perform oral sex on him and that she did not consent.

In total, four of the lawsuits specifically allege that Watson exposed himself without consent.

Watson's attorney, Rusty Hardin, has denied the allegations and stated that Watson has never treated any woman with anything other than the utmost respect. Hardin also released statements from 18 women who said that Watson "never made them feel uncomfortable or demanded anything outside the scope of a professional massage."

Were there veiled threats?

In March 2021, the first of 24 civil lawsuits was filed against Deshaun Watson, accusing the quarterback of sexual misconduct during massage sessions. The lawsuits, filed by Houston attorney Tony Buzbee, alleged that Watson exposed himself without consent, forced women into sexual acts, and made veiled threats.

One plaintiff detailed in her lawsuit that she felt threatened when Watson said, "I know you have a career and a reputation, and I know you would hate for someone to mess with yours, just like I don't want anyone messing with mine." Another plaintiff considered this remark to be a threat.

In addition to the civil lawsuits, the Houston Police Department also received a criminal complaint against Watson, which resulted in two active criminal investigations pertaining to incidents of sexual assault.

In March 2022, two separate Texas grand juries declined to indict Watson on criminal charges related to the accusations. Despite this, Watson was suspended for 11 games and fined $5 million by the NFL. He has settled 23 of the 24 civil lawsuits brought against him.

Were there any witnesses?

While it is unclear exactly how many witnesses there were, there were at least 22 women who filed civil lawsuits against Deshaun Watson, accusing him of inappropriate conduct and sexual assault. These women were represented by Houston attorney Tony Buzbee.

Buzbee filed the first three lawsuits in March 2021, related to separate incidents involving accusations from multiple massage therapists. The lawsuits allege that Watson committed civil assault by exposing himself and touching the plaintiffs with his penis. They also say that the plaintiffs grew "uncomfortable" during the massages, and abruptly ended their sessions after Watson acted inappropriately.

In addition to the 22 civil lawsuits, 10 women have also filed police complaints against Watson, and eight of those 10 women are among the plaintiffs who have filed civil lawsuits. This means that there were at least 30 witnesses who came forward with allegations against Watson.

Furthermore, in March 2021, Watson's lawyer, Rusty Hardin, released statements from 18 women saying that Watson "never made them feel uncomfortable or demanded anything outside the scope of a professional massage." This brings the total number of witnesses to at least 48.

It is important to note that the number of witnesses may be even higher, as some of the women who filed lawsuits did so anonymously as Jane Does, and it is possible that there were other women who did not come forward or file any official complaints.

In conclusion, there were a significant number of witnesses who came forward with allegations against Deshaun Watson, and the exact number of witnesses may be higher than what is publicly known.

Were there any attempts to settle?

There were indeed attempts to settle the lawsuits against Deshaun Watson. In June 2022, it was reported that Watson had settled 20 of the 24 sexual misconduct cases against him. The lawyer for the 24 women who accused Watson of coercive behaviour and sexual misconduct during massages announced the agreements but did not disclose the details.

The settlements were reached with "all of the women who have made, or intended to make, claims against the Houston Texans organisation". The Texans, Watson's former team, were accused of "turning a blind eye" to Watson's behaviour.

The settlements were said to be confidential, and those cases would be dismissed once finalised. However, it is important to note that not all of the women agreed to settle, as some felt that the offers did not include sincere acknowledgment or remorse from Watson.

One of the women who chose not to settle, Lauren Baxley, stated that Watson "harassed and committed indecent assault" against her. She also mentioned that he "crossed every boundary from professional and therapeutic to sexual and degrading".

Despite the settlements, Watson denied any wrongdoing and maintained his innocence throughout the process.

What was the verdict?

In March 2022, two separate Texas grand juries declined to indict Deshaun Watson on criminal charges related to accusations of sexual assault and harassment by 24 women. However, this did not prevent the NFL from suspending him for six games for violating its personal conduct policy. Disciplinary officer Sue L. Robinson made the decision after the NFL pushed for an indefinite suspension of at least one year, and Watson's legal team argued for no punishment.

Watson settled 23 of the 24 civil lawsuits filed against him, with the plaintiffs in these cases alleging a range of inappropriate behaviours, including exposing himself without consent, forcing women into sexual acts, and making veiled threats. One lawsuit, for example, claimed that Watson "assaulted and harassed Plaintiff by exposing himself to her and touching her with his penis." Another lawsuit alleged that Watson "got more aggressive, forcefully telling her to move her hand down to his pubic area." The woman in this case, who felt "intimidated and threatened," claimed that Watson forced her to perform oral sex on him without her consent.

In total, more than 11 lawsuits alleged that Watson exposed himself, while at least 12 filings asserted that he touched women with his penis. At least four lawsuits alleged that Watson forced himself on women, either by kissing them or via oral sex.

Watson's attorney, Rusty Hardin, denied the accusations, stating that Watson "never made them feel uncomfortable or demanded anything outside the scope of a professional massage." Hardin also claimed that one of the women involved in the lawsuits attempted to blackmail Watson, which "calls into question the legitimacy of the other cases."

While Watson was not charged with any crimes, the civil lawsuits and the NFL's investigation resulted in significant consequences for the quarterback, including a suspension, financial losses, and damage to his reputation.

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