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On Monday, Deshaun Watson’s legal team formally filed an answer to the first of nearly two dozen lawsuits that have been filed against the Texans’ quarterback.
#Texans QB Deshaun Watson’s legal team has filed its response to allegations of sexual misconduct and Watson again denied them and requested a jury trial. Here are some highlights of the detailed responses to the claims: pic.twitter.com/PZ4o6KKbZN
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) April 19, 2021
In the filing, Watson’s team details their defenses against individual accusers and asserts multiple reasons why the accusations are motivated by money and not illicit conduct. Watson has formally requested a trial by jury; any such proceedings will take place at a much later date. Everything may end up playing out in court, and if it does, this lawsuit will be ongoing for a long time. The legal process is slow and arduous. There is nothing quick about this.
One thing I saw that Steph Stradley pointed out was very interesting.
FWIW, in his first presser, lawyer Tony Buzbee told potential plaintiffs that they could remain anonymous, even though by a basic reading of Texas law, that is not a promise he could keep for a public process that can be difficult for all involved. From an online transcript: https://t.co/hEyCkglP2t pic.twitter.com/x8WcVpp580
— Stephanie Stradley (@StephStradley) April 19, 2021
Now, this doesn’t mean that anyone is guilty, liable, or isn’t, but it does seem a tad misleading on Buzbee’s part to get people to come forward.
We’ll keep you updated with more Watson news moving forward.