Deshaun Watson won’t be deposed in suit Monday after motion to quash

On Apr 10, 2023

FILE - Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson kneels on the field during an NFL football practice at the team's training facility on June 8, 2022, in Berea, Ohio.

Deshaun Watson will not be asked to give a deposition on Monday after his legal team’s motion to quash was granted.

“On this day, the Court considered Defendant Deshaun Watson’s motion to quash,” the motion, filed in the District Court of Harris County, Texas, read. “The motion is hereby in all things GRANTED. The deposition of Defendant, Deshaun Watson, noticed for April 10, 2023, is hereby quashed.”

The Browns quarterback had been scheduled to appear this morning as part of what it the 26th lawsuit filed against him by a woman alleging some kind of sexual misconduct during a massage appointment while he was still with the Houston Texans in late 2020 and early 2021. This suit was originally filed last October for a woman identified as “Jane Doe,” although the suit was filed by her attorney, Anissah M. Nguyen.

The allegations in the lawsuit stem from an appointment on Dec. 18, 2020, at the Houstonian, which the woman claims Watson set up via Instagram. He was accused of trying unsuccessfully to have sex with the woman, although she claims he was able to “pressure her into oral sex.”

According to the woman, Watson paid her $300 for her services.

The deposition filing also asked that Watson provided related cell phone records, social media records and emails leading up to and after the incident. His legal team had filed a motion for sanctions against Nguyen’s law firm in response to the initial lawsuit, claiming the suit was filed in bad faith while producing messages from the woman as evidence.

Last summer, Watson settled 23 of the other 24 lawsuits which had previously been filed by women alleging sexual misconduct or sexual assault during massage appointments. A 25th lawsuit was dropped by the plaintiff.

At the time the Browns acquired Watson from the Texans on March 18, 2022, 22 of the 24 lawsuits which he eventually settled were already public. Two others were filed in late May and early June of last year.