Deshaun Watson is eligible to return to the Cleveland Browns on November 14 after serving his six-game suspension from the league for violating the NFL’s personal conduct policy. Watson was sued by 24 different women, all of whom were massage therapists, for sexual misconduct and harassment.
via: CNN
The plaintiff, who filed the lawsuit as “Jane Doe,” alleged that Watson pressured her into sexual activity during a professional massage session at a Houston hotel in late 2020. Watson was a player for the Houston Texans at the time.
“During the massage, Watson continually pressured Plaintiff into massaging his private area,” the lawsuit says. The plaintiff said Watson “was able to pressure her into oral sex,” and paid her more than double her normal fee as a masseuse.
The NFL says it holds players to account for their personal conduct. Is Deshaun Watson’s case shattering that illusion?
Doe accuses Watson of Civil Assault and Intentional Infliction of Emotional Distress.
CNN reached out Thursday evening to the Browns, the NFL and Watson defense attorney Rusty Hardin for comment.
Although Watson has previously settled all but one of the sexual misconduct civil lawsuits against him, he has denied wrongdoing in those cases, and two grand juries have separately declined to indict him on criminal charges.
The woman that filed the suit is seeking “minimal compensatory damages” in the filing, noting that she seeks to prevent Watson from further conduct like she experienced.
