A 23rd accuser has filed suit against Deshaun Watson for sexual assault and misconduct. (TheLandOnDemand)
New lawsuit accuses Deshaun Watson of paying spa owner to facilitate sexual encounters
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Editor's note: Tony Grossi is a Cleveland Browns analyst for TheLandOnDemand.com and 850 ESPN Cleveland.
The number of licensed massage therapists accusing Deshaun Watson of sexual assault and misconduct reached 23 when a new civil lawsuit was filed Tuesday in Texas.
Lawyer Tony Buzbee, who represents all 23 women, told the Associated Press in a text, “I will be filing a 24th case soon.”
The newest lawsuit filed by Nia Smith includes more unsavory and graphic accusations of Watson misconduct during three massage sessions in 2020. The suit said the sessions became "progressively weird."
Smith spoke publicly of her encounters with Watson previously, but only decided to sue him after watching the HBO’s Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel story last week featuring two other plaintiffs.
The lawsuit states that Smith “was struck by the courage of the victims willing to step forward and speak, and was extremely displeased by Watson and his legal team’s mistreatment and revictimization of the Plaintiffs. But it was Watson himself claiming that even now he has ‘no regrets’ and has done nothing wrong that solidified her resolve.”
Smith’s suit also accuses the owner of spa at which she worked of being “obsessed” with Watson and facilitating massages for Watson “and knew Watson was attempting to have sex with them.”
Smith’s suit said that Watson paid the owner of the spa “at least five thousand dollars for [her] work,” and can support the allegation with receipts and text messages.
The suit seeks less than $75,000 in compensatory damages but also punitive damages for “physical and mental pain and suffering, and anguish … [and] loss of enjoyment of life and peace of mind, past and future.”
Watson has denied assaulting or disrespecting women.
“I never did the things that these people are alleging, and I will continue to fight for my name and clear my name,” Watson said on March 25.
Rusty Hardin, Watson’s lawyer, responded to the latest suit filing with a statement that began:
“Deshaun Watson vehemently denies the allegations, just as he has since [Smith] first discussed them with members of our firm in March of last year. She repeated the allegations on social media in August and he denied them then. The only thing new about her contentions is the embellishment making them more extreme than prior versions. Deshaun’s denial remains the same.”
Hardin also accused Buzbee of drumming up negative publicity while the NFL investigates Watson for possible violations of the league personal conduct policy.
“We are not surprised Mr. Buzbee was willing to say just about anything to get more publicity,” Hardin said in his statement. “He knows the NFL continues to investigate these cases, and this is a transparent attempt to further punish the man he sees as a potential payday.”
NFL lead investigator Lisa Friel interviewed Watson for three days in Houston two weeks ago. Hardin has said Friel may seek another meeting with Watson before the league concludes its investigation.
Independent disciplinary officer Sue L. Robinson then will decide if Watson should be disciplined for violating the league conduct policy.
The trials of the 23 civil suits, and counting, won’t be heard until March of 2023, per agreement of the lawyers.
Meantime, Watson is expected back on the field on Wednesday for the team’s fifth OTA practice. It is open to media.
