HOUSTON – Two of the 22 women who accused Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson of sexual assault and inappropriate behavior emerged during a news conference in public on Tuesday.
Ashley Solis, who according to attorney Tony Buzbee was the first massage therapist to file a case against Watson, spoke at the news conference. Lauren Baxley wrote a letter to Watson that was read by attorney Cornelia Brandfield-Harvey.
“I got massage therapy to heal people,” Solis said. “To heal their minds and bodies. To bring peace to their souls. Deshaun Watson robbed me of it. He took it away from me, he infected a profession of which I am very proud … I suffer from panic attacks, “Anxiety and depression. I’m in counseling because of Deshaun Watson’s actions. I hope he knows how much pain he has inflicted on me emotionally and physically. And I hope he knows how much pain he has inflicted on these other survivors.”
“People say I only do it for money,” Solis said. “It’s fake. I’m coming forward now so that Deshaun Watson does not assault another woman. ‘
In her letter to Watson, Baxley wrote: “Every boundary from professional and therapeutic to sexual and degrading that you have crossed or attempted to cross.”
Baxley said she wrote the letter to Watson on the recommendation of her trauma therapist to “forgive me for not talking sooner,” and also so that you can know without apology or justification that you are terrorizing me deeply and irreversibly. brought others. . “
“I initially came forward to offer solidarity to other women, but I have since realized that I also deserve justice,” Baxley wrote. “I hope the court upholds that right, and that you are stripped of your power and ability to hurt more women.”
Buzbee told the news conference that Solis and at least one of his clients had provided statements to police.
The Houston Police Department said in a statement Friday that it had launched an investigation into Watson after a complainant filed a report.
“As with any allegation, the Houston Police Department is currently conducting an investigation and will not comment further during the investigation process,” the department said in a statement. It did not specify what Watson is accused of in the charge.
Watson’s attorney, Rusty Hardin, said in a statement later Friday that he and Watson will “cooperate fully with the Houston Police Department.”
“We welcome this long-term development,” Hardin said. “Now we will learn the identity of at least one prosecutor. We will cooperate fully with the Houston Department of Police.”
In a letter Monday to Texas season ticket holders sent regularly in the spring, the McNair family addressed the civil lawsuits and a complaint filed with the Houston Police Department against Watson, saying, “We want to assure you that we take these allegations very seriously.
“While awaiting the conclusion of these investigations, we express our strong opposition to any form of sexual assault,” the letter said. “Our family and the entire Houston Texans organization are deeply concerned about any form of abuse and we condemn this type of behavior.”