Deshaun Watson’s Lawyer Responds to the Multiple Sexual Assault Lawsuits Filed Against the Texans QB

The total number of sexual assault lawsuits filed against Deshaun Watson now stands at 16 after two more were filed on Tuesday.  Watson has hired Houston attorney Rusty Hardin and he has responded to the multiple claims.

Hardin took a shot at the lawyer filing the multiple lawsuits before denying any wrongdoing on Watson's part.  He said, "any allegation that Deshaun forced a woman to commit a sexual act is completely false."

From FOX 26:

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 truth‑seeking 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.

With Hardin getting into the mix the "circus-like atmosphere" is just getting started.  He's represented multiple athletes over the years and seems to enjoy his time in the spotlight a little more than he should.