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Sexual Assault Suits Against Watson

Texian said:
NFW, now that the Texans and the NFL have been involved in the lawsuit. I can see Goodell telling Daniel Calhoun he needs to make this go away for the NFL and the Texans even if it cost him $25 million, and Goodell will handle Watson with an offer he can't refuse. Get rid of these of all of these cases regardless of the cost and you only sit for a year. Don't and your suspension will be indefinte and you can only apply for reinstatement when they all have been settled.
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Buzbee is unlikely to even think of settling all of the cases. This has become extremely personal between the plaintiffs/Buzbee and Watson/Hardin............the plaintiffs, due to the insult of being called liars repeatedly, no regrets, and the outlandish contract............Buzbee, due to the high profile nature of the cases and the building of so many graphic credible descriptions of the events with the very high likelihood that some if not most will be very successful in civil court, with likely much monetary damages than what would come out of settlement (especially with the recent addition of "gross negligence" to the lawsuit filings). And, of course, Buzbee, after all the national publicity and being attacked directly by Hardin, would love to be responsible for claiming uncontested victory over Hardin..........while being responsible for a major embarrassing and permanent black eye to Hardin's legacy.
 
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Reacting to Deshaun Watson press conference, Tony Buzbee hints that “many” could still file lawsuits
June 14, 2022, 4:25 PM EDT


On Tuesday, Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson conducted his first press conference since March 25. Thereafter, attorney Tony Buzbee issued his latest press release.

Near the bottom of the one-paragraph commentary resides an ominous remark regarding the possibility of additional lawsuits being filed against Watson. Currently, 24 are pending and two more are expected.

“We were sent the video of the Watson press conference,” Buzbee said, via Jake Trotter of ESPN.com. “We appreciate the Cleveland market and its fervent support with regard to its new quarterback, Deshaun Watson. But: given the volume of the credible cases filed, the lead detective’s sworn testimony, the undisputed facts, and the heartbreak, pain, and havoc Watson has caused, we think it would be appropriate to see Deshaun Watson express some regret or remorse in the way he treated these women, some of which have sued and many others haven’t, yet. Attending some sort of counseling would be at least some step forward. We have nothing else to say on the subject.”

How many is “many”? That won’t be known until the final statute of limitations passes on the last massage Watson received. That’s two years from the date on which the most person who gave Watson the most recent massage could claim that he crossed the line. Presumably, this means lawsuits could be filed up until the two-year anniversary of the filing of the first lawsuit — assuming that upon learning of the first lawsuit alleging sexual misconduct during massage therapy sessions that Watson stopped arranging private massages via social media.

Thus, the window will be open until the middle of March 2023. Only then will we know how many is “many,” and how many more than 26 women will sue Watson for allegedly engaging in inappropriate conduct during a massage session.
 
Texian said:
NFW, now that the Texans and the NFL have been involved in the lawsuit. I can see Goodell telling Daniel Calhoun he needs to make this go away for the NFL and the Texans even if it cost him $25 million, and Goodell will handle Watson with an offer he can't refuse. Get rid of these of all of these cases regardless of the cost and you only sit for a year. Don't and your suspension will be indefinite and you can only apply for reinstatement when they all have been settled to the satisfaction of the NFL.
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Why would Calhoun agree with this?

If somehow he's involved in this case, it's doubtful he loses and if he does it's doubtful he would have to pay 25 mil.
 
CloakNNNdagger said:
Where are all the NFL players? Don't see them defending defending him now?
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At this point, with the public details of the civil suits, exactly what are you expecting them to defend? Do you want them to say something that might alienate their own fan base or bring unwanted media attention to themselves? It's a no-win situation for these players. Look at how many Texans fans turned on Andre Johnson when he made comments without knowing all the details.

Besides vanilla comments from other Browns player, it's silly to think NFL players are going to wade into this mess. That's enough from me. Back to your regular scheduled program.
 
So the Grand Jury decided that based on the evidence they heard from the 1st however many woman that testified in March, they declined to indict. Now that more woman have come forward, could there be another Grand Jury convened to hear evidence from these new woman and then decide again if they want to indict or not based on what this 2nd group says?
 
wildroot said:
So the Grand Jury decided that based on the evidence they heard from the 1st however many woman that testified in March, they declined to indict. Now that more woman have come forward, could there be another Grand Jury convened to hear evidence from these new woman and then decide again if they want to indict or not based on what this 2nd group says?
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With the corruption that went on with Rusty and the ADA, the first set of charges could potentially be sent to another GJ.
 
wildroot said:
So the Grand Jury decided that based on the evidence they heard from the 1st however many woman that testified in March, they declined to indict. Now that more woman have come forward, could there be another Grand Jury convened to hear evidence from these new woman and then decide again if they want to indict or not based on what this 2nd group says?
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The new plaintiffs would have to file criminal charges.
 
I'm curious when and if Watson were to settle these outstanding lawsuits, has he then immunized himself from any future liability from new and additional lawsuits from other plaintiffs on alleged misconduct that occurred prior to his settlement date ?
 
IDEXAN said:
I'm curious when and if Watson were to settle these outstanding lawsuits, has he then immunized himself from any future liability from new and additional lawsuits from other plaintiffs on alleged misconduct that occurred prior to his settlement date ?
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No, each case/settlement is separate from all the rest. While this may have the appearance of a class action lawsuit it is actually 26 separate lawsuits that are just all going through the same attorney. If it goes to court they may agree to try them all at once for the sake of time but they are still separate lawsuits. Its just like if you mug 10 people and reach a settlement, because yes people do sue muggers if they are caught, that doesn't mean you are immune from punishment/settlement of an 11th person that sees your face on the news and proves you mugged them to.

Technically Watson isn't even immune from the ones the grand jury denied as Double Jeopardy only applies if you are actually charged with a crime and he wasn't actually charged.
 
steelbtexan said:
Why would Calhoun agree with this?

If somehow he's involved in this case, it's doubtful he loses and if he does it's doubtful he would have to pay 25 mil.
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By your own admission, Watson is a sexual predator. Buzzbee's lawsuit includes the Texans. That would make Daniel Calhoun, better yet Janice McNair is the owner of the organization that enabled, assisted and helped the sexual predator in his predatory behavior, all while he was under her employment. How do think this is going to fly? You might need to put in a call to Jack Easterby for some help on this one. :)
 
Texian said:
By your own admission, Watson is a sexual predator. Buzzbee's lawsuit includes the Texans. That would make Daniel Calhoun, better yet Janice McNair is the owner of the organization that enabled, assisted and helped the sexual predator in his predatory behavior, all while he was under her employment. How do think this is going to fly? You might need to put in a call to Jack Easterby for some help on this one. :)
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It comes down to can it be proven that they knew what Derrick was doing. It's doubtful it can be proven, particularly when Derrick said the Texans org didn't know what he was doing.

BTW, do you think that the McNair's knew what was going on?
 
Albert Breer Offers Latest On Timeline For Potential Deshaun Watson Suspension

The NFL has still yet to announce a potential punishment for Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson.

So, when will that announcement be made?

NFL insider Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated recently provided a possible timeline for Watson's punishment decision.

With the recent addition of two more allegations of sexual misconduct (lawsuits No. 23 and 24), Breer believes the NFL will be patient in their decision making process as new information continues to emerge.
To me, the developments of the last couple of weeks, from the emergence of the 23rd and 24th lawsuits, to the possibility of the 25th and 26th lawsuits, to the New York Times report, illustrate the merit in independent arbitrator Sue Robinson and the NFL being patient and deliberate in handing down sanctions to Deshaun Watson and his camp. And it’s the same reason why smart people at the league have told me the pretrial discovery deadline at the end of this month is a big one as it pertains to the timing of the announcement.
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Bottom line, it behooves the NFL to have as much information as it can before making a ruling, and, if you presume the league can’t have him out there early in the season, there’s still flexibility to wait a little longer without materially changing anything.
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Before these new civil cases emerged, Breer thought the NFL would have a decision by early July. Now, he feels a decision could come as late as training camp.
I thought before the new cases were filed and the Times report ran that the league would probably wait until July 4 weekend (which is after the discovery deadline) to drop the news. The latest developments, and this is just me talking, make me wonder whether they might just decide to give it until the start of training camp to play it safe. There are, of course, three pieces to the process (the arbitrator’s decision, Roger Goodell’s ruling and then the chance for an appeal), so all of this won’t happen overnight. But there’s still time.
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And if the NFL wants to use that time, even if it makes it uncomfortable on teams other than the Browns trying to prepare for the season, then I really do get it.
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steelbtexan said:
BTW, do you think that the McNair's knew what was going on?
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I don't believe that Cal would have given Watson that contract in September 2020 if he knew specifically what was going on.

However, I do think they were learning that something was rotten in the locker room and that helps explain Easterby's purported role in the organization. JMO, of course.
 
If DW4 is found guilty in the civil case, will the Texans suffer any repercussions beyond a financial settlement if they are found complicit in DW4's activities? Could the trade with the Browns be rescinded?
 
steelbtexan said:
BTW, do you think that the McNair's knew what was going on?
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YES! The Texans have a head of security. Surely they would've had security find out what Watson was up to and his patterns of behavior before making him the face of the franchise and locking him up a $30 million-plus year contract for five years. Especially and particularly after trading DeAndre Hopkins for allegedly being a bad influence on Watson. BTW the DH trade was 6 months before Watson signed his BIG Texans contract. Would it not behoove you and be in your best interest to find out exactly what all those bad influences and behaviors were and what was involved before committing the organization to a long-term $177 million deal?
 
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TxnsJuggernaut1 said:
If DW4 is found guilty in the civil case, will the Texans suffer any repercussions beyond a financial settlement if they are found complicit in DW4's activities? Could the trade with the Browns be rescinded?
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No and Watson being found guilty or not has zero to do with the Texans. The wording of these articles are so bad because it makes it sound like it’s all tied together in one gaint lawsuit and it’s not. It a BUNCH of small lawsuits that are for similar issues and reasons. I’m guessing this is about the only “case” Buzbee is working on because everything he does with one suit he has to then see about doing for 25 others.

People are panicking over the Texans being added but if Buzbee really thought there were legs on that case he would have ignored Watson, lawsuit wise, and gone straight for the Texans because rule number one when suing is go after the deepest pockets.

Buzbee has added the Texans because A: odds are they will just settle because that’s what companies do pretty much anytime they are sued for any reason, often without even looking at the reason for the suit, so he can get some money out of that and B: it brings more attention to it and maybe puts more pressure on Watson, through the NFL, to settle.

As far as the trade with the Browns the NFL has never in its history rescinded a trade after it was approved and finalized and certainly not after part of the trade picks have been used. I realize we are so use to bad things happening to the Texans but this one is way outside the realm of possibility.
 
Texian said:
YES! The Texans have a head of security. Surely they would've had security find out what Watson was up to and his patterns of behavior before making him the face of the franchise and locking him up a $30 million-plus year contract for five years. Especially after trading DeAndre Hopkins for allegedly being a bad influence on Watson. BTW the DH trade was 6 months before Watson signed his BIG Texans contract. Would it not behoove you and be in your best interest to find out exactly what all those bad influences and behaviors were and what was involved before committing the organization long term?
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Your blind and illogical hatred of the McNairs and the Texans is actually sad to watch. Makes me wonder why you bother to post on these boards.
 
I have now received information from 2 sources very close to the situation who tell me that the NDAs were supplied by the Director of Security without him sharing that with the McNairs. Furthermore, this same Director made all of the arrangements for Watson's use of the Houstonian, again without sharing that information with his higher ups. It is unlikely that the Texans will be found liable for Watson's aberrant use/abuse of the NDAs or the use/abuse of his access to the Houstonian.
 
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CloakNNNdagger said:
It is unlikely that the Texans will be found liable for Watson's aberrant use/abuse of the NDAs or the use/abuse of his access to the Houstonian.
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Was that Director of Security employed by the Texans?

If booking rooms at the Houstonian is part of his job, ie he’s done this for other Texans & the Texans paid the bills, the Texans are implicit. Whether we’re talking about a McNair or not.
 
thunderkyss said:
Was that Director of Security employed by the Texans?

If booking rooms at the Houstonian is part of his job, ie he’s done this for other Texans & the Texans paid the bills, the Texans are implicit. Whether we’re talking about a McNair or not.
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the argument is the Director of Security hid Deshaun's actions from the rest of the organization.
 
thunderkyss said:
Was that Director of Security employed by the Texans?

If booking rooms at the Houstonian is part of his job, ie he’s done this for other Texans & the Texans paid the bills, the Texans are implicit. Whether we’re talking about a McNair or not.
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You're right but its a lot more complicated than that. What you are referring to is "respondeat superior" which holds a company responsible for its employees BUT that only applies if the employee was acting within the scope of their employment. Here are two examples

  • A restaurant promises delivery in 30 minutes "or your next order is free." If a delivery person hits a pedestrian while driving frantically to beat the deadline, the company will probably be legally responsible for the pedestrian's injuries.

  • A technology services company gives its sales staff company cars to make sales calls. After work hours, a sales person hits a pedestrian while using the company car to do personal errands. Most likely, the company will not be held responsible for the incident.

www.nolo.com

Employer Liability for an Employee's Bad Acts

If your employee hurts someone, you could be legally responsible.
www.nolo.com www.nolo.com


So Buzbee would have to show that Watson was acting within the scope of his employment during all this and seeing as getting a massage outside of the team provide professionals is not part of his job that would be a hard sale unless he ran off during a game or training camp to do this. The real smoking gun would be if a massage therapist from the company the Texans retain came forward and so far none have. I can't stress enough how much Watson let the Texans off the hook when he said under oath they knew nothing about any of this. Likewise that squeaky clean record of his prior to all this plays in the Texans favor because then it can't be said they were negligent in their hiring and by releasing the others so fast it can't be said they were negligent in retention, both of which are also mentioned in that article.

As much as we rag on the Texans for running the team like a corporation in this case it is very much playing to their favor because corporations are masters at not being held liable in lawsuits.
 
powerfuldragon said:
the argument is the Director of Security hid Deshaun's actions from the rest of the organization.
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I don't think an employer (individual or corporate), can be shielded from the actions of an employee because of ignorance
of the employee's activity/ behavior ?
 
IDEXAN said:
I don't think an employer (individual or corporate), can be shielded from the actions of an employee because of ignorance
of the employee's activity/ behavior ?
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If your company has a work conference and books hotel rooms for those employees is the company liable if one of the employees get caught with drugs in their room? What if an employee murders someone in the room?

I think of the Angels trainer that was supplying a player with drugs that ended up dying. Was the team at fault?

Complicated.
 
thunderkyss said:
Was that Director of Security employed by the Texans?

If booking rooms at the Houstonian is part of his job, ie he’s done this for other Texans & the Texans paid the bills, the Texans are implicit. Whether we’re talking about a McNair or not.
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I find it very hard to believe that the McNairs were not fully informed of Watson's past behaviors and what he was doing during his personal time and how he was leading his life when he was not at work. Particularly when the Texans were in the process of preparing his 5-year $177 million contract. There had to be a full and complete discussion of all the good and all of the bad in making this decision. Another discussion of all of the whys and why not to offer such a contract.

The McNairs had to know, especially if you believe the accusations that Watson's mother, Deann Watson was contacting Janice McNair to complain about DeAndre Hopkins being a bad influence on her son, leading her son DeShaun down a road of a life of ill repute. How does Deann Watson know and the Texans do not?

Does Buzbee ask for all of the communications between Deann Watson and Janice McNair and the Texans? Does Janice McNair and the Texans say, OK Tony how much do you want to make this all go away for the NFL and the Texans?

Personally, I hope this is enough for Janice and the rest of the McNair siblings to say, IT IS TIME TO SELL THE TEXANS.
 
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maverick512000 said:
BUT that only applies if the employee was acting within the scope of their employment.
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Completely agree. That's why I said if he's booked rooms for other Texans, & the Texans paid the bill.

If he was acting outside his scope, the Texans would have called him to the carpet... "What the heck is this room at the Houstonian on the expense account? Don't do that again." kind of thing. If the charges showed up & they were like, "Keep up the good work." It's within the scope of his employment.
 
thunderkyss said:
Completely agree. That's why I said if he's booked rooms for other Texans, & the Texans paid the bill.

If he was acting outside his scope, the Texans would have called him to the carpet... "What the heck is this room at the Houstonian on the expense account? Don't do that again." kind of thing. If the charges showed up & they were like, "Keep up the good work." It's within the scope of his employment.
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Again, it has to first be proven the security director knew what was going on. That’s going to be a tall task since Watson has already mentioned that he didn’t tell anyone from the Texans about his massages.
 
djohn2oo8 said:
Again, it has to first be proven the security director knew what was going on. That’s going to be a tall task since Watson has already mentioned that he didn’t tell anyone from the Texans about his massages.
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You're speaking to the degree of complicity. I'm speaking to matter of fact.
 
djohn2oo8 said:
https://twitter.com/x/status/1537448586060906496
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If the NFLPA tries this approach, Watson will be placed right in the cross hairs of Snyder, Kraft and Jones, who are already livid over Watson's contract under the circumstances. It sounds like the NFLPA is potentially calling for a REAL in depth criminal-like investigatiion demanding all communications, etc in the case of the owners..........the type of investigation, no matter what the NFL would want you to believe, that was not performed with Watson. That would very well lead to the call for more in depth investigation of Watson and potentially much more damaging information coming out about him. The potential owners' hammer is something Watson does not want to see.

And let's not forget.........the NFL is a "Cartel".............
 
CloakNNNdagger said:
If the NFLPA tries this approach, Watson will be placed right in the cross hairs of Snyder, Kraft and Jones, who are already livid over Watson's contract under the circumstances. It sounds like the NFLPA is potentially calling for a REAL in depth criminal-like investigatiion demanding all communications, etc in the case of the owners..........the type of investigation, no matter what the NFL would want you to believe, that was not performed with Watson. That would very well lead to the call for more in depth investigation of Watson and potentially much more damaging information coming out about him. The potential owners' hammer is something Watson does not want to see.

And let's not forget.........the NFL is a "Cartel".............
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Man - I just want to watch some football with out all the drama.
 
thunderkyss said:
Completely agree. That's why I said if he's booked rooms for other Texans, & the Texans paid the bill.

If he was acting outside his scope, the Texans would have called him to the carpet... "What the heck is this room at the Houstonian on the expense account? Don't do that again." kind of thing. If the charges showed up & they were like, "Keep up the good work." It's within the scope of his employment.
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See this is two separate issues though, the scope of employment applies to Watson not to the security director. Unless it can be proven that the security director was completely aware of what Watson was doing with the rooms and still booked them then it does not fall under negligence. Its like if a person took a business trip and the company admin books them a hotel room and then that person commits an illegal act in said hotel room. That is not the fault of the person that booked the room and really even proving its the fault of the company would be tough. Based on what we know and have seen the case against the Texans doesn't have legs on it. Buzbee is throwing everything against the wall, because really why not, and seeing if anyone starts just throwing money his way to make it go away. He knows the case against Watson, which is the big fish, is going to take a long time but if he can get Texans or Browns or whomever else to say "Here is X dollars, now leave us out of this." then it will be something for his clients, and him, while the long game is played.
 
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