Deshaun Watson’s legal team was busy on Friday.
After two court victories on the Texans’ quarterbacks behalf, Rusty Hardin held a news conference and admitted that some of the encounters between Watson and the 22 women who have filed civil suits against him resulted in some “consensual encounters.”
“Were there sometimes consensual encounters? Yes,” Hardin said. “In some of these massages there’s going to be no question. We’ve never run from it.”
Hardin wouldn’t get anymore specific than that but once again emphatically denied any wrongdoing on the behalf of Watson.
“I’m not going to go into what it is, or the nature, or the numbers, or with whom,” Hardin said regarding any consensual encounters between Watson and some of the plaintiffs. “But I think you can rightfully assume that. The question always that we have always been emphasizing: Never at any time, under any circumstances … did this young man ever engage in anything that was not mutually desired by the other party.”
Tony Buzbee, the attorney representing the 22 women that have filed suits against Watson also released a statement on Friday after two judges determined the identity of most of the accusers must be made public.
“They are ready to be identified,” Buzbee said. “In lawsuits sometimes we push hard for something that may turn out to not be helpful. As I said in court, be careful what you ask for. Identifying these women at this point adds even more credibility to the allegations being made, and I am proud to stand with these brave and courageous women.”
According to reports, court records show that Hardin has already filed motions asking that the rest of the accusers identities be made public.
