Lawyer Tony Buzbee is a little vague on if his client indeed tried to get $30k from Watson for her “indefinite silence”.
According to Watson’s marketing manager the attempt at blackmail was flatly refuses, but according to Buzbee that isn’t the case.
Burney said in the declaration that the woman said she wanted to be paid $30,000 “for what she referred to as ‘indefinite silence’ about her encounter with Deshaun.” Burney said in the declaration that the woman told him it was “a consensual encounter.”
Buzbee on Tuesday said Watson and Burney “repeatedly insisted that Jane Doe sign” a non-disclosure agreement and that she refused to do so. Buzbee also questioned whether Watson could “keep track of” all his massage sessions.
“There are many facts here, that we will put in public filings, that Mr. Hardin might not be aware of,” said Buzbee, who added that he hoped to provide additional details by Friday.
I am curious to see what these additional facts will be.
No one at the moment has produced a smoking gun.
At the moment here is what we know factually.
- 16 women have filed civil lawsuits against Deshaun Watson for varying degrees of sexual assault while giving him massages.
- Up to 24 women in total have come forward with stories about Watson being inappropriate.
- Watson from the beginning has said he is innocent, that he wouldn’t pay a settlement, and planned to clear his name.
- Watson’s attorney believes at least one accuser tried to extort Watson.
- Watson admits to having sexual encounters with some of the accusers but they were all consensual encounters.
The NFL has been silent.
The Texans have been silent.
What will happen next is anyone’s guess.
Flip the pages for Watson’s lawyer and money manager’s statements.