2 new lawsuits filed against Watson; 18 women defend QB in lawyer statements
Two new lawsuits alleging sexual assault and inappropriate behavior were filed against Deshaun Watson on Tuesday, bringing the total of lawsuits filed against the Houston Texans quarterback to 21, according to ESPN's Sarah Barshop.
One of the new lawsuits also states that Watson has "unsent" Instagram messages and has contacted the women who had previously messaged him "through intermediaries."
Watson's lawyer, Rusty Hardin, released a statement Wednesday with quotes from 18 women who allegedly worked with Watson, stating the quarterback "never made them feel uncomfortable or demanded anything outside the scope of a professional massage."
"These women say they are deeply troubled by the accusations made against Deshaun and that these claims are wholly inconsistent with their experiences with him and who they believe him to be," the statement reads.
Hardin adds the women "have worked with Deshaun more than 130 times over the past five years."
Watson has said he's always treated women with the "utmost respect." The star signal-caller reportedly requested a trade after the Texans hired Nick Caserio as their general manager this offseason.
Caserio recently said the accusations against Watson "are certainly troubling."
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