Legal woes continue for former Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson as attorney Tony Buzbee is in the process of filing two more lawsuits against the embattled NFL star, bringing the total number to 26, KPRC 2 has learned.
The amount of accusers is rising after more women come forward, claiming that Watson had inappropriate contact with them during massage therapy sessions.
KPRC2 legal analyst Brian Wice says Watson faces a tough outlook.
“With each additional lawsuit, this litigation continues to reach Defcon 1,” Wice said. “Deshaun Watson is caught in a West Texas hailstorm. He can’t run. He can’t hide and he can’t make it stop.”
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The case has captivated headlines across the nation, as one sordid story after another unfolds from the alleged victims. Watson has been cleared of any criminal charges, but the matter has become a civil issue. Still, he and his attorney, Rusty Hardin, maintain Watson’s innocence.
From the beginning, Buzbee has been representing each accuser, saying his number one goal is to get justice.
After the 24th lawsuit was filed last week, Buzbee said the “courageous women who, despite ridicule, legal shenanigans, and intense media scrutiny, continue to stand firm for what is right.”
The first 22 lawsuits were filed in March and April of 2021. Afterward, more women came forward, with some even conducting interviews on HBO’s “Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel.”
Watson has been accused by massage therapists of harassing, assaulting or touching them during appointments when he was with the Houston Texans. Documents show he found most of the women through the social media platform Instagram. In most instances, the women were paid amounts as low as $100 for their services.
In many of the complaints on record, women claim that Watson exposed himself and masturbated in front of them, rarely offering any apologies for his alleged conduct.
Hardin admits that Watson had consensual sexual activity with three of the women, but stressed that the NFL superstar did not force anyone to do anything against their will. The famed attorney came under some scrutiny recently after he said, during a radio interview, that “happy endings” were not against the law.
RELATED: Rusty Hardin, attorney for Deshaun Watson, says ‘happy endings’ are not a crime
Watson, a three-time Pro Bowl QB, has recently inked a fully guaranteed five-year, $230 million contract with the Cleveland Browns despite his legal entanglements and pending cases.
In addition to the legal woes, Watson is also facing a possible suspension from the NFL, which is independently investigating his behavior to see if he violated the league’s personal conduct policies.
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