HOUSTON – Ten women that accuse Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson of sexual misconduct during a massage physically or virtually attended a status hearing in the case on Thursday.
“They are here because they have been called liars and they are not liars,” said Tony Buzbee, the attorney representing all of Watson’s accusers.
Twenty-two women are suing Watson accusing him of sexual misconduct during a massage.
Wearing masks and sunglasses, the six women who attended the hearing in person listened as the two high-profile attorneys, Rusty Hardin and Buzbee, exchanged claims accusing the other side of destroying evidence.
“Deshaun Watson has unsent a lot of his direct messages on Instagram and we raised that issue before and we will deal with it when the time comes,” Buzbee told a crowd of reporters outside of the courtroom after the hearing.
During the hearing, Hardin accused some of Watson’s accusers of deleting social media accounts. Hardin also denied that his client is destroying evidence on his cell phones.
“I think the first amendment is a wonderful, wonderful amendment and I think open courts are and everybody has the right to say whatever they want,” Hardin told KPRC 2.
Hardin also told filed a motion Thursday, asking the judge to order Buzbee to turn over the social security numbers and driver’s license numbers of some of Watson’s accusers so the defense team can determine who they are.
Earlier this month, Buzbee released the names of all 22 of Watson’s accusers who were previously known as Jane Does after a judge ordered him to release the names in some cases.
Hardin said some of Watsons’ accusers have more common names and he needs more information.
“I’ve never, ever experienced where six weeks after the lawsuits are brought we still don’t know who all of them are so in that sense it’s unusual,” said Hardin.