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Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshan Watson settled 20 of 24 lawsuits accusing him of misconduct, says attorney for accusers

June 22, 2022
Henry

Attorney Tony Buzby, representing all 24 of Watson’s accused, announced Tuesday that all but four of the lawsuits have been settled and the cases will be dismissed after the paperwork is finalized.

“We are working through the paperwork related to those settlements,” Buzby said in a statement. “Once we do that, those particular cases will be dismissed. The terms and amounts of the settlement are confidential. We will not comment further on the settlement or those cases.”

Buzby said the lawsuits filed by Watson’s first accuser Ashley Solis and three other women would be prosecuted “in due course.”

CNN has reached out to Watson’s attorney, Rusty Hardin, for comment, but has yet to receive a response.

The NFL says it makes players responsible for their personal conduct. Is Deshan Watson's case shattering that illusion?
Meanwhile, Watson remains under scrutiny by the NFL, which could suspend him if he finds that he has violated the league’s personal conduct policy. NFL officials met with Watson for three days in May and requested another day, Hardin. told CNN earlier this month,

The NFL told CNN in a statement that Tuesday’s “development has no effect on the disciplinary process of collectively bargaining.”

Amidst the allegations, Mr. Watson was traded The Houston Texans to the Cleveland Browns are reportedly receiving a five-year, fully guaranteed $230 million contract, the most guaranteed contract ever awarded to an NFL player, ESPN reported,
the Browns defended the verdict To sign Watson – who was facing 22 misconduct lawsuits at the time – saying he had previously done a “comprehensive assessment”.

Earlier this month, Katy Williams, a former massage therapist in Houston, filed the 24th lawsuit against Watson.

Williams says she had two encounters with Watson at her apartment in August 2020. The first session was professional, his lawsuit says, but during the second he exposed himself and engaged in unwanted sexual conduct.

There are now 24 lawsuits filed against Deshan Watson

Hardin responded to Williams’ filing of the lawsuit earlier this month by telling CNN, “We are unable to respond to the new lawsuit at this time. Our legal team has not had time to investigate this new filing and Had not heard his name till date. Deshan continues to deny that he did anything unfair to any of the plaintiffs.”

In March, Two Separate Texas Grand Juries Watson refused to charge After investigating the allegations against him.
First, in Harris County, investigate allegations of harassment and sexual misconduct and concluded There was not enough evidence to charge him with the crime. A second jury in Brezoria County considered the evidence in a criminal complaint accusing Watson of sexual misconduct during a therapy session.

CNN’s Amy Woodyatt, Jacob Lev and Ben Morse contributed to this report.