Watson attorney cites blackmail attempt
Affidavit details a demand of $30,000 for silence by 1 of 16 women suing the Texans QB
Note: This story contains graphic content.
Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson was the subject of a $30,000 blackmail attempt from one the 16 massage therapists now alleging sexual assault and harassment in civil litigation, according to a sworn affidavit released by his Houston-based attorney, Rusty Hardin.
The lawyer’s attempts to discredit at least one of the cases comes as three more women on Tuesday filed lawsuits against Watson. The women, who are mostly identified as massage therapists, allege that he assaulted them during sessions in 2020 and 2021, depicting scenes in which they said Watson urged or sometimes forced them to perform sexual acts.
Hardin issued his most extensive response to the allegations to date, emphasizing that he and Watson recognize the difficulty in reporting sexual assault. But Watson has been treated unfairly, he said, and the women’s attorney, Tony Buzbee, has “orchestrated a circus-like atmosphere” in the press.
“I believe that any allegation that Deshaun forced a woman to commit a sexual act is completely false,” Hardin said in a statement. “And in the one case in which we have been able to identify a plaintiff, we have strong evidence showing the allegation is false.”
Bryan Burney, the marketing manager for Watson, submitted in the affidavit that the “Jane Doe” believed to be the third plaintiff stated that she wanted $30,000 for her “indefinite silence” regarding an alleged Dec. 28, 2020 encounter with Watson. The civil suit alleges that Watson “coerced and intimidated” her to perform oral sex on him at a Houston office building.
“I asked her what she would be silent about and whether anything had happened with Deshaun against her will,” Burney stated. “She confirmed that everything that occurred was consensual during her encounter with
Deshaun. I asked Ms. Doe why Deshaun should pay for silence regarding something that was consensual — whatever it was. She said that it was a matter that both she and Deshaun would wish to keep secret and that she would need to be paid for her ‘silence.’ ”
Burney stated that after that conversation, he received a call from a man saying he was the alleged victim’s business manager, that the encounter would be “embarrassing” if Watson didn’t pay what was demanded.
“I told this individual that his demand to be paid for not revealing a consensual interaction be
tween two adults was extortion,” Burney said. “He responded, ‘It’s not extortion, it’s blackmail.’ I informed this individual that Deshaun would not be paying the $30,000 requested.
“In the years that I have known Deshaun, I have known him to be a respectful, decent human being. I do not believe him capable of the conduct that ‘Jane Doe’ has anonymously accused him of in this case. This conduct is also completely inconsistent with multiple statements made by Jane Doe and by her ‘business manager,’ indicating that her encounter with Deshaun involved only consensual activity.”
Hardin said some massage therapists have come to Watson’s defense. Watson, 25, has no previous off-field incidents and has repeatedly drawn praise in the past for his character and philanthropy in Houston and in his hometown of Gainesville, Ga. He is in a standoff with Texans ownership after requesting a trade in January.
“We have received numerous unsolicited comments in the past week from many licensed massage therapists who have worked with Deshaun in recent years. These women describe him as a gentleman and a model client who never engaged in inappropriate conduct. Indeed, before these salacious claims, everyone who associated with Deshaun described him as an outstanding, respectful, and compassionate man,” Hardin said.
“Again, we are taking the allegations very seriously and we ask only that people not rush to judgment, that people not be unduly influenced by opposing counsel’s antics, and that they let fundamental fairness to both sides rule the day. Thank you for your patience and understanding.”
Buzbee’s team is also refusing requests to confidentially provide names of the anonymous plaintiffs so the defense can investigate the claims, he added.
‘About female empowerment’
Buzbee said during a Friday news conference that he may file additional cases in Harris County Civil District Court and has emphasized that the lawsuits aren’t financially motivated. He did not respond to a request for comment on Tuesday.
“The case ain’t about money, and certainly not publicity or fame,” Buzbee wrote on a prior Instagram post. “I personally don’t need it, and these women don’t want it. This case is about female empowerment, taking the power back. These women who are stepping forward knew that they would face scorn and ridicule. They bring these cases for one reason: stopping misconduct from this defendant.”
The three newest lawsuits follow the same pattern as the others.
In most of the 16 suits, the women say Watson reached out to them on social media and acted inappropriately during massage sessions, in some cases making their hands touch his penis and on two occasions forcing or trying to force oral sex.
One licensed massage therapist said Watson acted inappropriately during a session on July 15, 2020, in Beverly Hills, according to a lawsuit. Another woman, a certified personal trainer, said Watson ejaculated on her hand during a session on May 28, 2020, in Houston.
The latest lawsuit alleges that Watson exposed himself to another woman in October 2020.
Watson contacted the 14th woman on Instagram and said he was flying from Georgia to Texas to California, where she was based, according to the litigation. She arrived at the address he provided and he led her to a room where he locked the door , she said.
He eventually removed his towel and grabbed her hands, forcing them onto his penis to get her to pleasure him, she alleges in the suit.
She said he told her, “I will not have you sign a NDA (non-disclosure agreement) but don’t ever talk about this.”
The 15th woman said the incident occurred at Watson’s house.
Watson eventually exposed his penis and pre-ejaculated, which got onto her hand, her lawsuit claims.
She ended the massage, and Watson, naked, asked if he could give the woman a hug, she said. After she told him that would be inappropriate, he responded, “Oh c’mon I saw your Instagram. I know what you’re working with,” according to the suit.
16th lawsuit
In the 16th lawsuit, the plaintiff was identified as a Houston spa worker licensed in body contouring and skin tightening services. She first met Watson in October 2020, when her boss assigned her to do massage for him at a spa she had never worked at, the suit says.
Similar to the other allegations, the suit said Watson got naked for the massage and instructed the plaintiff to focus on his inner thighs, lower back and around his buttocks. Watson eventually flipped on his back and exposed himself.
“Plaintiff was terrified, but Watson told her not to be scared to ‘touch him,’ ” the lawsuit states.
The woman said she was not paid to do that, according to the suit, but Watson said “that was what he paid for.” The woman declined and said Watson only paid her a third of what she was owed.