New details about an encounter between Deshaun Watson and one of the women suing him for civil assault came out in leaked testimony from last week’s deposition in the case.
Watson admitted in the testimony to texting one of the accusers after a massage session in which the woman cried while treating him, according to USA Today. The acknowledgement could be key because the woman has alleged that her distressed state was caused by the now Cleveland Browns QB non-consensually touching her with his penis during the massage session.
Watson faces 22 such allegations in civil court, all brought by women massage therapists who worked with Watson while he was the starting quarterback of the Houston Texans franchise. Watson was investigated criminally but no charges were filed. He was traded in March to the Browns, who signed him to the biggest contract in NFL history. But while he was setting up shop in Cleveland, his accusers’ attorneys wanted him back in Texas to be deposed, which finally happened last week.
From USA Today
Watson left and sent her a text message apologizing afterward: “Sorry about you feeling uncomfortable,” he wrote, according to a screenshot of it previously posted by her lawyers. “Never were the intentions. Lmk if you want to work in the future. My apologies.”...
…“But you know why you sent that text apology afterwards?” Buzbee asked Watson during the deposition last week, according to a partial transcript obtained by USA TODAY Sports.
“Yes, because she was teary-eyed,” Watson replied. “And I was trying to figure out what was going on. So, I assumed that she was uncomfortable in whatever reason. And we talked about working in the future. And so, I said, `We can work in the future. Just let me know.’ And then I sent my apologies as whatever reason she was teary-eyed for.”
Attorneys on both sides have agreed to postpone any trial on the cases until next year but Watson is likely to have to go back to Texas for more depositions before then. In the meantime, he still faces a potential suspension from NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell. Watson is supposed to meet with league executives in New York this week.