Houston Police Department Still Waiting on Evidence From Deshaun Watson Lawsuits
First, let me be 1000% clear: Every woman has the right to be heard, and moreover, believed when making a claim of sexual assault.
I believe this as a father of three girls, and as a person who believes that sexual assault is a despicable offense that deserves the harshest of punishment when proven.
But when it comes to the claims of sexual assault against a high-profile individual, sometimes things don't always add up.
That is where we sit with the case of Deshaun Watson.
What we know is that a bevy of women have come forward with some heinous accusations regarding the quarterback of the Houston Texans. And if true, Watson should suffer the full ramifications of the law — both civilly and criminally.
But here is the issue, as of March 29, 2021: There have been NO criminal charges brought against Watson.
In fact, one of the women described Watson as a "serial predator." And stated, Watson "assaulted and harassed Plaintiff by exposing himself to her and touching her with his penis."
There are 16 civil lawsuits, all seeking monetary restitution. But NO criminal charges for someone who is accused by multiple women of sexual assault and intimidation, and on some level threatening them.
Why is this?
Wouldn't the lawyer for these women, Tony Buzbee, be eager to help put a serial offender behind bars? Wouldn't he want to see justice given to his clients, both civilly and criminally?
One would think so.
On March 21, Buzbee informed the Houston Police Department that he would "submitting affidavits and evidence from several women" on Monday, March 22.
However, that day came and went with no bombshell revelations by Buzbee and no announcement from HPD that anything regarding the Watson case had been turned in.
In fact, according to KRTK in Texas, as of Thursday, March 25, HPD had still not received any information regarding Watson's involvement.
As I stated in the opening, I fully believe that EVER woman should be heard WHENEVER there is a feeling of sexual misconduct. And we should also remember while hearing the claims, that our legal system provides EVERYONE the presumption of innocence.
If Deshaun Watson committed even one of the acts brought forth to any of these women, he should pay. But, as of today, HPD has received no evidence from Buzbee, after he stated he would provide it one week ago.
Below are statements made by Deshaun Watson's attorney and Tony Buzbee:
Rusty Hardin, Deshaun Watson's attorney
"I want to emphasize at the outset that we and Deshaun recognize that sexual assault and harassment are not only unlawful, but morally wrong. It takes courage for women to come forward to report being mistreated, particularly when they attach their names to a lawsuit. We do not take these allegations lightly. However, fairness to the accused is equally as important.
Opposing counsel has orchestrated a circus-like atmosphere by using social media to publicize 14 "Jane Doe" lawsuits during the past seven days in a manner calculated to inflame the public and malign Deshaun's otherwise sterling reputation. In addition, the tactic of refusing our requests to confidentially provide the names of the plaintiffs so we can fully investigate their claims makes uncovering the truth extremely difficult. Anonymity is often necessary as a shield for victims but opposing counsel has used it as a sword to publicly humiliate Deshaun before the truthseeking process can even begin.
I believe that any allegation that Deshaun forced a woman to commit a sexual act is completely false. And in the one case in which we have been able to identify a plaintiff, we have strong evidence showing the allegation is false. In January of this year, a woman attempted to blackmail Deshaun by demanding $30,000 in exchange for her "indefinite silence" about what she stated was a consensual encounter. It is our belief this woman is the plaintiff in Cause No. 2021-15613. (Please see the declaration by Bryan Burney below.) This calls into question the legitimacy of the other cases as well.
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.
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."
Tony Buzbee:
"Alleged sexual misconduct is serious. Attempting to criminalize or minimize those that speak out or step forward is wrong. I have been asked to respond to a released statement by Mr. Watson's counsel.
My first reaction is that there have been so many massage sessions from Instagram that Mr. Watson can't keep track of them-recall he, on Twitter, initially criticized me and denied everything. I can't tell you how many people have stepped forward to report similar conduct or provide information. That info will be released, again in public filings-not in the media. My second reaction is a question: why would his marketing agent admit Watson had sex for pay with a massage therapist, consensual or otherwise? We will also provide a copy of the non-disclosure agreement that Deshaun Watson and his marketing manager repeatedly insisted that Jane Doe (and others) sign after (and sometimes before) the "massage session," which she refused to sign. I do appreciate Mr. Hardin's professionalism and his words of support for victims, but would respectfully suggest there are many facts here, that we will put in public filings, that Mr. Hardin might not be aware of. We will provide additional details in a statement, consistent with our ethical obligations in due course. I'm hoping we can do so by Friday."
Commenting: To sign up for Discus our new commenting system, just use your Twitter, Facebook or email to register and you are in, very easy and quick to sign up! To find the find comment section just look below the Around the Web section below this article and get chatting! We would love to hear your thoughts and have you join our community!
