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Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshon Watson has reached an agreement in 20 of the 24 active civil lawsuits filed against him by women who accused him of sexual assault, the women’s lawyer said Tuesday.
Lawyer Anthony Busby called the terms of the agreement confidential and said he expected the other four cases to be resolved in court.
“Today I announce that all but four of the cases against Deshon Watson have been settled,” Busby said in a written statement. “We are working on the documents related to these settlements. Once we do that, these specific cases will be rejected. The terms and sizes of the settlements are confidential. We will not comment further on the agreements or these cases. “
Watson has not been charged with a crime. He is still facing potential removal from the NFL under its personal conduct policy.
“Today’s development does not affect the collectively agreed disciplinary process,” said NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy.
Watson and his lawyer, Rusty Hardin, have denied the allegations.
Regarding other civil cases, Busby said: “I look forward to hearing these cases in a timely manner, in line with other obligations in the case and the court’s schedule.
The NFL will argue for the “significant” removal of Deshon Watson
The allegations made against Watson by women include inappropriate comments, exposing themselves and forcing their penis on women’s hands during massage sessions.
Hardin did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
“I was honest and I was honest about my position,” Watson told reporters last week during the Browns’ off-season training. “And this is it: I have never forced anyone. I have never attacked anyone. … I say it from the beginning. And I will continue to do so. Until all the facts come out legally, I just have to keep going with the process of my legal team and the court. “
Last week, Watson did not give a public indication that he was interested in settling the lawsuits.
“As I said, I just want to clear my name and be able to let the facts and legal procedures continue,” he said at the time. “So right now, all I’m doing is wanting to clear my name and being able to let all the facts go to court and be able to focus on that.”
The NFL plans to argue with the new sports disciplinary officer that Watson should receive a “significant” removal for violating his personal conduct policy, many people familiar with the case said Friday. The removal the league wants from Watson could be in about a full season, said one of those people.
The NFL must present the findings of its investigation to Sue L. Robinson, a former U.S. district judge who is a disciplinary officer appointed jointly by the league and the NFL Players’ Association under the current version of the conduct policy.
It was not clear on Tuesday whether the case had been officially presented to Robinson.
The league hopes the entire disciplinary process, including resolving any potential complaint to NFL commissioner Roger Goodell or a person named by him, will be completed by the start of the training camp, a source familiar with the matter said on Friday. The Browns are scheduled to hold their initial training session at the training camp on July 27.
“When it comes to the league and their decision, we have to respect that and let them do their part and complete their investigation and report,” Watson said last week. “And as I said before, I talked to the league. I was honest and told them the truth about every question they asked. So I really can’t have [any] control this. “
Busby said in an email Monday that he and his clients had no ongoing involvement in the NFL’s disciplinary process, other than interviews some women conducted last year with league officials.
“Whatever the NFL does or doesn’t do has nothing to do with civil matters,” Busby said in an email Monday.
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