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Judge assigns trial date in Browns QB Deshaun Watson massage case
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- Judge assigns trial date in Browns QB Deshaun Watson massage case
Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson never went to trial for any of the 27 lawsuits that accused him of sexual misconduct during massage appointments in 2020 and early 2021. But now one of those cases actually has a trial date in Houston – Feb. 18.
That was the date assigned by a judge in Harris County, Texas, for one of the last two pending civil cases against Watson, according to court records obtained this week by USA TODAY Sports.
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Of the 27 lawsuits, 24 were resolved with confidential settlements. The other three include one that was withdrawn shortly after being filed in Match 2021, another one that is pending but has been dormant for years and the one that is now assigned for trial.
The latter case was filed in October 2022 and was described by Watson's attorney, Rusty Hardin , as a "sham lawsuit." Hardin has aggressively denied allegations made by the woman who filed it, which stated Watson pressured her into oral sex during a massage session at the Houstonian Hotel in December 2020.
The women's attorney also recently has been trying to compel Watson to testify for another deposition in the case, but Watson's legal team has been fighting it by saying it's far too late for that after Watson previously sat for a deposition in the case on June 9, 2023.
"He really has not done what they alleged he did," Hardin told USA TODAY Sports on Wednesday. "I think a jury will agree with us and that's why we have courthouses... It's just so sad he has to live with this five years later."
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Why this lawsuit against Deshaun Watson stands out
It was one of the last two lawsuits filed against Watson and was the only lawsuit not filed by the law firm of Houston attorney Tony Buzbee.
Of the first 25 lawsuits filed against Watson, starting in March 2021, 23 reached confidential settlements by August 2022, one was withdrawn in 2021 and one remains dormant.
Oct 20, 2024; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson (4) throws a pass during the first quarter against the Cincinnati Bengals at Huntington Bank Field. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images
The lawsuit set for trial in February was the 26thfiled against Watson in Harris County and came after the NFL suspended Watson for 11 games in August 2022 based on similar allegations made by other women.
The plaintiff in the case is represented by attorney Anissah Nguyen, who didn't return a message seeking comment.
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The 27th lawsuit against Watson was filed by Buzbee's firm in September 2024 but was settled shortly after that .
The other pending case that has been dormant for years also could go to trial in 2026, Hardin said Wednesday. The plaintiff in that case, Lauren Baxley , filed suit in March 2021 and was one of the first to go public with allegations against Watson in the news media.
Deshaun Watson remains sidelined for Browns
In Watson's defense in the other cases, Hardin said Watson sometimes had consensual sexual encounters during massage sessions but denied wrongdoing. Watson never was arrested or charged with a crime.
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The incidents described in all the lawsuits allegedly came in 2020 and early 2021, when Watson was a member of the Texans . That team also reached confidential settlements with 30 women with claims related to Watson after being accused of enabling his behavior and failing to prevent it. In March 2022, the Texans traded him to the Browns , who gave him a five-year contract worth $230 million guaranteed.
But because of the suspension and injuries, Watson only has played in 19 games for the Browns since then. This year, Watson, 30, hasn't played at all after undergoing a second surgery in January to repair a ruptured Achilles tendon.
Follow reporter Brent Schrotenboer @Schrotenboer . Email: bschrotenb@usatoday.com
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Cleveland Browns QB Deshaun Watson assigned trial date in massage case
