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Deshaun Watson’s lawyer Rusty Hardin spoke to the media in a lengthy press conference to address the 22 sexual assault lawsuits filed against his client.
While taking questions during his press conference on Friday, Hardin revealed that Watson was “dumbfounded” and cried when he learned that women were accusing him of sexual assault.
Rusty Hardin says Deshaun Watson "is dumbfounded" by all that is going on. He explains Watson was in disbelief when he was told he forced a woman. "I forced her?" he said. Hardin then said Watson started crying.
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) April 9, 2021
https://twitter.com/NotScTop10plays/status/1380629643141734401
When I told him about the first allegation in the third lawsuit that somehow he had used forced in something. I didn’t know him at the time, when I told him he was in disbelief, he asked me two or three times, I forced her? and he just started crying
Hardin went on to address why Watson would need so many massages from different massage therapists and attributed it to spas closing during the pandemic.
Rusty Hardin on Deshaun Watson having so many masseuses: "This guy has been getting 2-3 massages a week. The math on that is anywhere from 120-150 massages a year. In the year 2020, spas shut down. The massage world during the pandemic changed."
He says that's why he used IG.
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) April 9, 2021
Rusty Hardin defends Deshaun Watson looking for massage therapists on Instagram during pandemic "He gets 2-3 massages a week, that's 120-150 massages a year, spas shut down in 2020 "
"Millenials live on Instagram, Deshaun lives on Instagram he does business transactions on i pic.twitter.com/MNbyiKCsTy
— Gifdsports (@gifdsports) April 9, 2021
Hardin did admit that sexual relationships between Watson and some of the massage therapists happened but that they were all consensual and that he did not believe Watson acted in a non-consensual manner with any of the women accusing him of sexual assault.
Rusty Hardin admits Deshaun Watson did have consensual relationships with some of the massage therapists but he does not believe Watson coerced, or did anything non-consensual with the woman accusing of sexual assault pic.twitter.com/jWOp2EyT9W
— Gifdsports (@gifdsports) April 9, 2021
“We deeply, deeply do not believe this guy ever did anything nonconsensual with any woman during any of this,” “He didn’t coerce them. We don’t believe he used his position. We don’t believe he intimidated them. We simply do not. Were there sometimes consensual encounters? Yes.”
In the end, Hardin says he plans to take all 22 lawsuits filed against Watson to trial.
Rusty Hardin said he "absolutely" plans to take all 22 lawsuits filed against Deshaun Watson to trial. Doesn't look like a settlement is happening any time soon. Press conference is now over.
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) April 9, 2021