Number of lawsuits vs. Cleveland Browns QB Deshaun Watson now 24

[Auggie]

6-6-22 / ESPN.com

Another woman has filed a civil lawsuit against Deshaun Watson, raising the number of women who have accused the Cleveland Browns quarterback of inappropriate sexual conduct during massage sessions to 24.

The lawsuit says the plaintiff massaged Watson twice. The first session, the lawsuit says, was cut short because "Watson had to leave abruptly after taking a phone call." The lawsuit says Watson scheduled a second massage a few days later, when the woman says that Watson exposed himself and masturbated and "offered no apology or explanation for his conduct."

The lawsuit says the plaintiff "shortly thereafter quit massage therapy."

"Today we filed the twenty-fourth case alleging sexual misconduct against Deshaun Watson," the attorney for all 24 plaintiffs, Tony Buzbee, said in a statement. "The allegations made in this new case are strikingly similar to those made by many of the other victims. Lost in the media frenzy surrounding Deshaun Watson is that these are twenty-four strong, courageous women who, despite ridicule, legal shenanigans, and intense media scrutiny, continue to stand firm for what is right. Setting aside the legal wrangling, the complicity of the NFL, or the failures of the criminal justice system, the resounding story that should be told here is that these women are true heroes. I will say again, our entire team is incredibly proud to represent these women, and we look forward to the day when we can lay out their cases in detail in front of a jury."

https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/34047357/number-lawsuits-vs-cleveland-browns-qb-deshaun-watson-now-24

This sick guy was "cleared" by the Browns' owners wife, Dee Haslam. Unbelievable. Also unbelievable: to cut ties with a proven QB, Baker Mayfield, who was okay with playing in Cleveland.

This franchise is unbelievably fucked up.

[shelshaw]

1. Sounds like presidential material

[Hugh_Lebowski]

2. What's especially lame about this is that it's not that hard to find a 'rub and tug' friendly

massage business to frequent in this country.

And personally I'd have no issue had he frequented them, that's his own business (and the business of the proprietors), assuming everyone's consenting.

However, if 24 different masseuses are publicly decrying your behavior, that's a definite sign he was on some power trip instead, it wasn't just about discreetly getting off.

Dude was also rich and not bad-looking. He could've hired beautiful escorts, no problem, but instead he went round exposing himself to random, apparently non-consenting massage workers.

No tact, no class.

[tishaLA]

3. NYT says *at least* 66 other women are also involved

and that Watson used Texans' resources and NDAs in all this. Goodell should place some serious sanctions on the Texans, but he'd have to place them on Watson first for that to make sense and it seems like that's not going to happen.