HOUSTON – Two of the 22 women who have filed lawsuits against Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson for sexual assault and inappropriate behavior came out publicly at a news conference on Tuesday.
Ashley Solis, who according to lawyer Tony Buzbee was the first massage therapist to file a lawsuit against Watson, spoke at the press conference. Lauren Baxley wrote a letter to Watson that was read by attorney Cornelia Brandfield-Harvey.
“I started with massage therapy to heal people,” said Solis. “To heal their minds and bodies. To bring peace to their souls. Deshaun Watson robbed me of that. He took that from me, he defiled a profession of which I am extremely proud. … I suffer from panic attacks, fear and depression. I provide counseling as a result of Deshaun Watson’s actions. I hope he knows how much pain he has caused me emotionally and physically. And I hope he knows how much pain he has caused these other survivors. “
“People say I only do this for money,” said Solis. ‘That is not true. I’m coming forward now so that Deshaun Watson doesn’t attack another woman. ‘
In her letter to Watson, Baxley wrote, “You have crossed or attempted to cross every line, from professional and therapeutic to sexual and degrading.”
Baxley said she wrote the letter to Watson on the recommendation of her trauma therapist to “forgive myself for not speaking before,” and also “so that you can know without excuse or justification that you have brought deep and irreversible terror to me and others.” . “
“I initially came forward to offer solidarity to other women, but since then I have realized that I deserve justice too,” Baxley wrote. “I hope the court will bring that justice, and that you will be stripped of both your power and your ability to hurt more women.”
Last week, 18 women issued statements through Watson’s attorney, Rusty Hardin, saying they had worked with the Texas quarterback and that he “never made them feel uncomfortable or demanded anything beyond the reach of a professional massage. falls “.
Watson’s lawyer said the statements were voluntary and from women who collectively “worked with Deshaun more than 130 times in the past five years.”
On Tuesday, Buzbee said one of the women who made one of those statements had also sent a direct message about Watson, saying she stopped working with him because she “heard too many things about how he messed with other people.”
“Those are two different stories,” said Buzbee. “Now, am I suggesting that the 18 women had bad experiences? I don’t know. Am I suggesting there is a reason why they came forward? I don’t know. That’s a question to ask. But what I do know. is that what was said publicly by this one person and what was said privately were two completely different things. “
Buzbee also said his law firm “turned down about five women we didn’t think we could hold a case for.”
Buzbee said in the press conference that Solis and at least one of his clients made statements to the police. On Friday, Houston police said in a statement that it had launched an investigation into Watson after a complainant filed a complaint.
“As with any accusation, the Houston Police Department is now conducting an investigation and will not comment during the investigation process,” the department said in a statement. It did not specify what Watson is accused of in the complaint.
Hardin said in a statement later on Friday that he and Watson “will cooperate fully with the Houston Police Department.”
“We welcome this long-awaited development,” said Hardin. Now we will find out the identity of at least one prosecutor. We will cooperate fully with the Houston Police Department. ”
In a Monday to Texas season ticket holders sent regularly in the spring, the McNair family addressed a letter to the civil lawsuits and filed a complaint with the Houston Police Department against Watson, saying, “We want to assure you that we have these allegations accept it very seriously.
“Pending the conclusion of this investigation, we take a strong stand against any form of sexual assault,” the letter read. “Our family and the entire Houston Texans organization have major problems with any kind of abuse and we condemn this type of behavior.”