The Houston Police Department is investigating Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson after a report was filed against him.
The department announced the investigation Friday, but it did not say what he was accused of doing. Twenty-one women filed separate civil complaints alleging sexual misconduct.
FOURTEENTH WOMAN FILES LAWSUIT ACCUSING TEXANS QUARTERBACK DESHAUN WATSON OF SEXUAL MISCONDUCT
“Today, a complainant filed a report with the Houston Police Department concerning Deshaun Watson,” Houston Police tweeted. “As with any allegation, the Houston Police Department is now conducting an investigation and will not comment further during the investigative process.”
Watson’s lawyer, Rusty Hardin, and Watson will “fully cooperate with the Houston Police Department,” he said in a statement later on Friday, according to ESPN.
“We welcome this long-overdue development,” Hardin said. “Now, we will learn the identity of at least one accuser. We will fully cooperate with the Houston Police Department.”
All of the civil complaints were filed by the same lawyer, Anthony Buzbee.
“These Deshaun Watson cases continue to mount; we filed two more public cases today,” Buzbee said Tuesday when the latest two women filed suits. “Our team has been roundly criticized because these numerous brave women haven’t filed formal criminal complaints with HPD (although we have provided info to other organizations).”
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Buzbee hadn’t gone to the police with the allegations because he was afraid of political retribution, he claimed in the statement, saying: “When I ran for Houston mayor against the CURRENT mayor, I called for the resignation of the former police chief. I was thus reluctant initially in these important cases to provide info to HPD, at least while Art Acevedo was the police chief — even though my brother-in-law is a long-term HPD officer.”
Hardin rebuked Buzbee for the accusation, calling it “his lamest … excuse.”
“His latest excuse for failing to go to law enforcement is also his lamest. Anyone who has dealt with HPD, as I have for many years, would know that Mr. Buzbee’s suggestion that the Department would overlook legitimate complaints based upon a family connection of one of its officers is ludicrous. It is also insulting to the dedicated professionals at HPD and to common sense,” Hardin said.
The National Football League is reviewing the matter.
