Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson has reached an agreement to settle 20 of 24 civil lawsuits filed by women who have accused him of sexual assault and harassment, the women’s attorney has revealed.
Accused by massage therapists of harassing, assaulting or touching them on dates while playing with the Houston Texans, Watson could still be suspended if the NFL determines he violated league conduct policy.
Today I am announcing that all but four cases against Deshaun Watson have been settled. We are working on documents related to these settlements, attorney Tony Buzbee said in a statement Tuesday. Once we do, those special cases will be discarded.
Buzbee, who represents the 24 women, added that the terms of the settlements are confidential and that its legal team comment further on settlements or these cases.
The first 22 lawsuits were filed in March and April 2021. The last two were filed after the show Real Sports with Bryant Gumbelfrom HBO, aired an interview last month with two of the women who detailed their encounters with Watson.
The settlement also comes as The New York Times reported earlier in June that Watson had booked massage appointments with at least 66 different women in the span of 17 months when he wore Houston colors. The report also stated that a representative of the Texans provided Watson with a nondisclosure agreement which he gave some of the women to sign.
Last week, Watson claimed he intended to clear his name.
I have never assaulted anyone, Watson said June 14 in his first public comments since being introduced by the Browns in March. I have never harassed anyone or disrespected anyone. I never forced anyone to do anything.
In March, two separate Texas grand juries declined to indict Watson on criminal complaints stemming from the allegations.
The Browns then offered him a guaranteed contract of 230 million dollars for 5 years.
The Canadian Press
Source: Radio-Canada
