On March 18, Houston attorney Tony Buzbee had filed three lawsuits against the Texas quarterback Deshaun Watson on behalf of three massage therapists who allege inappropriate behavior and sexual assault. Now Buzbee has filed a total of seven charges, and as ESPN.com’s Sarah Barshop writes, at least five more will be on the way.
No criminal charges or complaints have been filed against Watson, but Buzbee is pushing to change that, according to Barshop. The attorney plans to file affidavits and evidence regarding the alleged wrongdoing with the Houston Police Department and the Houston DA Monday morning, and will also ask a grand jury to consider the evidence.
Obviously that’s part of Buzbee’s effort to increase his influence in his civil proceedings, and the fact that he is submitting affidavits and evidence to the district attorney’s office doesn’t mean the district attorney will believe that those materials are a likely reason for initiating criminal proceedings. Still, it’s clear this issue is not going away, and Watson’s attorney, Rusty Hardin, says a response is coming.
“I am extremely proud to represent Deshaun Watson and fully support him against what we believe are meritorious allegations,” Hardin said. “However, we will hold off on detailed commentary until we complete our assessment of Mr. Buzbee’s numerous evolving allegations. We will respond next week and ask you to be open to us until we do. ” (Twitter link via FOX’s Mark Berman 26).
Until the charges were filed, Watson had been all over the headlines for football-related reasons. He and the Texans played a game of chicken during Pro Bowler’s triple trade call, and as of March 19 – even after the seventh lawsuit – the Houston Chronicle’s Aaron Wilson reported that several clubs remained interested in swapping a trade for Watson. . That includes the Eagles, whose interest was not previously reported.
“We need to know more facts before making a final decision on a transaction, but yes, we are still interested,” said an NFL manager. How could you not be interested that Deshaun Watson might be your quarterback? The man is an incredible talent. “
Said another exec, [w]The hat Deshaun Watson has been accused of clearly doesn’t match what we’ve heard and know about him as a truly amazing person, but you can’t ignore these serious allegations. That means making sure you do your homework and make sure you know all the facts before getting deeply involved in trade negotiations. There’s the NFL investigation, the court cases, and you have to let it all play down and make an informed decision. Yes, we are still very interested in Deshaun Watson. What he’s done on the field checks every box for quarterback play. “
If these allegations aren’t resolved in Watson’s favor any time soon, you can expect interested teams to stop chasing the Texans’ signal caller.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.