Watson plaintiff to fulfill NFL; lawyer teases video

BEREA, Ohio — The legal professional representing the plaintiff in a civil lawsuit accusing Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson of sexual assault and battery advised ESPN on Thursday that the lady will communicate to the NFL inside two weeks.

“We will likely be scheduling a gathering with the NFL and hope that may be achieved within the subsequent two weeks,” legal professional Tony Buzbee wrote in an e-mail. “We’ve a video and two extra witnesses for the NFL to talk with. I’ve personally by no means had confidence within the NFL’s disciplinary course of however my shopper has chosen to have interaction it.”

In line with the lawsuit, which was filed Monday in Harris County, Texas, the alleged actions occurred in October 2020 earlier than Watson and a lady, recognized as Jane Doe within the court docket submitting, have been set to have dinner on the girl’s house. Watson was a member of the Houston Texans on the time.

Watson on Wednesday denied the allegations in a press release issued by his legal professional, Rusty Hardin.

The NFL on Tuesday stated it’s reviewing the complaint under the personal conduct policy, however the league added that Watson won’t be positioned on the commissioner’s exempt record as a result of there have been no formal costs and the league’s overview simply started.

Browns coach Kevin Stefanski stated Wednesday that Watson will nonetheless begin Sunday in opposition to the Jacksonville Jaguars however declined to touch upon the lawsuit, deferring to a crew assertion launched Tuesday.

In a press release launched Wednesday, Buzbee stated he reached out to Watson’s attorneys for months to resolve the matter privately.

Watson stated that he discovered in regards to the lawsuit when it surfaced and that he was shocked to see the allegations. When requested about Buzbee’s declare of reaching out to Hardin’s workplace 10 months in the past, Watson responded: “I am not conscious of that.”

Watson served an 11-game suspension in 2022 after greater than two dozen ladies accused him of sexual assault and inappropriate conduct throughout therapeutic massage classes. A pair of Texas grand juries declined to pursue prison costs in opposition to Watson, however he served his suspension after the NFL and the NFL Gamers Affiliation reached a settlement in his disciplinary matter.

Watson additionally needed to pay a high-quality of $5 million and endure obligatory analysis by behavioral specialists and observe their instructed remedy program earlier than being reinstated by the league.

Watson settled 23 of the 24 lawsuits filed in opposition to him in the summertime of 2022.

The lawsuit filed Monday is unrelated to the 2 remaining energetic lawsuits (the one from summer season 2022 plus one filed that October) from ladies who accused Watson of sexual misconduct throughout therapeutic massage classes.

Within the earlier civil circumstances, a decide compelled the ladies suing Watson to make use of their precise names in court docket filings. Hardin advised ESPN on Wednesday that he intends to ask the court docket to require the lady who sued Watson on Monday to even be recognized by identify in court docket filings.

In March 2022, the Browns traded six draft picks, together with three first-round picks, for Watson and gave him a totally assured $230 million deal, which was an NFL file on the time.

The suspension and accidents have restricted Watson to simply 13 begins with Cleveland.