Houston Texans full-back Deshaun Watson is the subject of seven civil cases filed in mid-March that accuse him of sexual assault. He was not criminally charged. Here are the issues:
Who’s Deshaun Watson?
Deshaun Watson, 25, is a star quarterback for the Houston Texans, one of the best in the NFL in his position.
In September 2020, he guaranteed a four-year contract extension worth nearly $ 111 million, signed by tying himself to the Texans until 2025. But Watson, disillusioned by the team’s weak staff movements and the failure to maintain a promise to seek him out in the search for a new coach and general manager, called for an appeal. Watson has a no-trade clause so he can choose his next destination. But the Texans stressed in January that they did not intend to trade him, which would create an impasse for more than two months.
Over the past year, Watson has grown into a leading voice among black players protesting against racial injustice and police brutality. During the 2020 offseason, he participated in a video led by the player urging the league to support protests by players, and after the Minneapolis police killed George Floyd, Watson and his family – Floyd grew up in Houston – moved to a downtown area. argument.
What is Watson accused of?
Seven women have accused Watson of assault in civil lawsuits filed in Harris County, Texas. The lawyer representing them, Tony Buzbee, said as many as 15 other women had confirmed the allegations of sexual misconduct and coercion against Watson.
Although the seven cases filed so far have many similarities, only one – in which Watson allegedly put a woman under pressure to perform oral sex during a massage – is the claim of sexual assault. in a sexual way. All of the lawsuits accuse Watson of a pattern of lewd behavior in incidents that took place from March to December 2020: exposing himself to women he hired for massages; the women order to massage sensitive areas such as the groin and inner thigh; and his body moves in ways that forced them to touch his penis.
Meredith J. Duncan, who teaches criminal law and criminal law at the University of Houston Law Center, defined civil assaults as intentionally or knowingly touching someone in a way that a reasonable person would consider offensive.
“It just so happens in this case, the civil assault involves his genitals,” Duncan said. “But forcing another person to commit a sexual act is a more serious form of sexual assault.”
Watson has not commented publicly since the night of March 16, when the first charge was filed. He said on Twitter that he “never treated a woman with anything but the utmost respect” and that he rejected an unfounded six-figure settlement requirement “from Buzbee before the first lawsuit was filed.
Rusty Hardin, who represents Watson, issued a statement on March 19 calling the allegations against his client “ruthless”. That same day, Watson’s agent, David Mulugheta, publicly defended his client in social media posts.
Will Watson face criminal charges?
The Houston Police Department said in a statement On March 19, it was “unaware of any contact between HPD and Tony Buzbee, the Houston attorney, regarding the allegations in his recent lawsuits, and no incident reports on these allegations have been filed in our jurisdiction.”
Will the NFL take any action?
The league opened an investigation into Watson’s behavior on March 18. In a letter to Buzbee, Lisa Friel, a special investigative counsel for the league, called for the cooperation of the accused. A league spokesman said the matter was being reviewed in connection with the NFL’s policy on personal conduct. This policy determines off-field behavior in which players and coaches are involved.
The Texans said in a statement the same day that they “will continue to take this and all matters involved in the Houston Texans organization seriously” and that the team will not comment further until the league’s investigation is completed. not, a process without a public timeline. .
Who’s Tony Buzbee?
Tony Buzbee is a Houston attorney who has worked for years on personal injury cases, but is perhaps best known for his involvement in mass crime and class action lawsuits, including the Hurricane Ike lawsuit and the Gulf of Mexico oil spill. a decade ago. He does not appear to have represented many women in sexual assault cases.
A former Marine, Buzbee, shows off his exaggerated personality and wealth on social media. The first two words on Buzbee’s law firm are ‘Just Win’ and he wears a shark tattoo on his right arm.
Although he said he did not support the Texans, Buzbee, a Texas graduate of A&M, put up ten billboards in 2014 urging the now deceased owner, Bob McNair, to hire Johnny Manziel, an Aggies quarter, to compile; McNair did not take his advice. Buzbee lives in the same Houston street as Cal McNair, chairman of the Texans, but said at a news conference that he does not know McNair. Buzbee also unsuccessfully ran for mayor of Houston in 2019.
Who’s Rusty Hardin?
Rusty Hardin, a former state prosecutor who became a lawyer, represented several prominent clients, from star athletes to the accountants Arthur Andersen in the Enron scandal. He also worked in the Office of the Independent Advocate during the Clinton administration in the Whitewater investigation.
Among the athletes he has defended is the thrower Roger Clemens on charges of perjury in 2012; NFL striker Adrian Peterson, who was charged with child abuse in 2014; and NBA star James Harden, who in 2017 is accused of paying four people to attack and rob Moses Malone Jr., the son of the Hall of Fame NBA player.