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Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson said he was surprised by the latest civil lawsuit filed against him by a woman who alleges he sexually assaulted her four years ago.
The woman filed the lawsuit Monday in Texas , saying Watson forced himself on her during a dinner date in her apartment in Houston in 2020. She’s seeking in excess of $1 million in damages.
During his weekly media availability, Watson, who will play this week against the Jacksonville Jaguars, said he was unaware of the allegations before Monday.
“I found out exactly whenever everyone else found out,” Watson said.
Earlier, Watson’s attorney, Rusty Hardin, released a statement saying the QB “strongly denies” the claims in the lawsuit.
The league is examining the lawsuit to see if Watson has violated the league’s personal conduct policy. Watson was suspended 11 games in 2022 and fined $5 million after being accused by more than two dozen women of sexual misconduct.
“Deshaun strongly denies the allegations in the Jane Doe lawsuit filed Monday,” Hardin said in a statement distributed by the team. “We have asked him not to comment further while this matter works its way through the courts, but are comfortable he will ultimately be vindicated.
“We will be ready to defend this case in court at the appropriate time, but don’t intend to conduct our defense in the media. We would ask that people be patient while the legal process runs its course.
“In the meantime, Deshaun is going to focus his energy and concentration on football.”
Watson said Hardin’s statement is “exactly how I’m feeling and what we’re going through this process with.”
Meanwhile, the plaintiff’s attorney, Tony Buzbee, fired back at the statement with his own on Instagram, saying he contacted Hardin 10 months ago seeking a resolution and that Watson was aware of the woman’s claims.
“We knew this case was the most serious and egregious case brought against Watson to date and our client, who is rightly traumatized by these events,…
Source link : https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/browns-quarterback-deshaun-watson-says-he-was-surprised-by-sexual-assault-lawsuit
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Publish date : 2024-09-11 19:31:37
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