{"id":108627,"date":"2022-10-26T12:07:15","date_gmt":"2022-10-26T12:07:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/deshaun-watsons-attorney-plaintiffs-text-messages-show-its-an-extortionist-shakedown-seeks-against-her-attorney\/"},"modified":"2022-10-26T12:07:15","modified_gmt":"2022-10-26T12:07:15","slug":"deshaun-watsons-attorney-plaintiffs-text-messages-show-its-an-extortionist-shakedown-seeks-against-her-attorney","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/deshaun-watsons-attorney-plaintiffs-text-messages-show-its-an-extortionist-shakedown-seeks-against-her-attorney\/","title":{"rendered":"Deshaun Watson&#8217;s attorney: Plaintiff&#8217;s text messages show &#8216;it&#8217;s an extortionist shakedown&#8217;;  seeks against her attorney"},"content":{"rendered":"<div>\n<p class=\"article__paragraph article__paragraph--left\" id=\"227L7FGXONDKDKZ745CSBOGYCU\">CLEVELAND Ohio &#8212; Deshaun Watson&#8217;s lawyer, Rusty Hardin, job seeking harassment from the attorney for the 26th plaintiff accusing Watson of sexual misconduct during a massage appointment because \u201cit&#8217;s a sham lawsuit.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"article__paragraph article__paragraph--left\" id=\"K7DIHHJ32RDKNGI25LRSIKYNTU\">In a phone interview Tuesday night with cleveland.com, Hardin says text messages from the plaintiff to Watson \u2014 more than 35 that were sent in the year after the alleged incident in December of 2020 but were never returned by him according to the filings \u2014 show that she wasn&#8217;t forced to perform oral sex, which she alleges in her suit.<\/p>\n<p class=\"article__paragraph article__paragraph--left\" id=\"MEYGQVRJP5BVRGU7J77UI6YBAY\">Hardin says that the plaintiff&#8217;s attorney, Anissah Nguyen, had possession of the text messages when she filed the suit on Oct.  13th.  Cleveland.com sent an email and a text message to Nguyen seeking comment.<\/p>\n<p class=\"article__paragraph article__paragraph--left\" id=\"V4M6N3UKHFAW7KOEWNMZPHKRZA\">\u201cIt&#8217;s nothing but an extortionist shakedown and we&#8217;re not going to put up with it,\u201d Hardin said.  \u201cThe days of settling arguments that we don&#8217;t believe in are over.\u201d<\/p>\n<ul class=\"article__unordered-list\">\n<li><span><b>Sports betting comes to Ohio on Jan.  1, 2023:<\/b> Your questions answered<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"article__paragraph article__paragraph--left\" id=\"4PNVZCT44VGFPKCBJTHLTLPAAM\">Some of the text messages, screenshots of which are in the filings, show the plaintiff asking Watson to meet her at the Houstonian hotel, where the alleged incident took place during their lone massage appointment.  Some of the requests to see him again took place just days after the alleged assault.<\/p>\n<p class=\"article__paragraph article__paragraph--left\" id=\"KONVP5URFRCGZIHXAFMVHKNMDY\">Other text messages from her appear to be sexually explicit about things she could do to him or vice versa.<\/p>\n<p class=\"article__paragraph article__paragraph--left\" id=\"BHVB6GS5ZBCO3P3SRRHFPWPJ5Q\">\u201cThat obviously doesn&#8217;t sound like a person who was pressured into performing oral sex,\u201d Hardin said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"article__paragraph article__paragraph--left\" id=\"MW7KWRRBRRE3ZFFYRU5PERJDFY\">Hardin&#8217;s associate Leah Graham, who also represents Watson, joined the call with cleveland.com and said the firm has been silent long enough on the nature of some of the cases.<\/p>\n<p class=\"article__paragraph article__paragraph--left\" id=\"FQES6PE4JBAGPPZ76YKAA7V2K4\">\u201cI think the days of biting our tongue and trying to be politically correct and trying to be a little bit cautious about what the evidence shows and what the facts reveal \u2014 the days of doing that are over,\u201d said Graham.  \u201cThe truth shall set us free.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"article__paragraph article__paragraph--left\" id=\"6VVFPGCM5BFHLDJLOERJZY62PE\">Hardin stressed that any attorney who tries to pull the same stunt in the future will have to answer for it in court.  He said Watson settled 23 of the original 24 suits \u2014 one is pending \u2014 so he could get back on the field.  All of those plaintiffs were represented by Houston attorney Tony Buzbee, who told cleveland.com he rejected five others.  Nguyen told Cleveland.com earlier this month that her client had talked to Buzbee about representation.<\/p>\n<p class=\"article__paragraph article__paragraph--left\" id=\"6O5IF4JTQ5A75BPNHDX6FGSKNQ\">Watson is currently serving his 11-game suspension by the NFL under the personal conduct policy, but is on track to play Dec.  4th in Houston, where most of the alleged incidents took place.  He returned to the Browns facility on a limited basis Oct.  10, and can begin practicing with the team on Nov.  14th.<\/p>\n<p class=\"article__paragraph article__paragraph--left\" id=\"T6QLBKB4H5FYBIZ7WPAFGXBPZ4\">NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said at the fall league meeting last week that Watson has met all of the terms and conditions of his suspension to this point, including treatment for what the NFL determined was sexual assault, and that he should be reinstated for the final six games.<\/p>\n<p class=\"article__paragraph article__paragraph--left\" id=\"OVWMZ55AX5EIPPHGW4YVT6AYIM\">\u201cHe&#8217;s back (with the Browns) and as far as we&#8217;re concerned, it&#8217;s over,\u201d Hardin said.  \u201cWe&#8217;ve settled a bunch of arguments that we did not have any liability for \u2014 that we believe did not have merit \u2014 but we settled them in order to practically get everything over so he could go start playing football.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"article__paragraph article__paragraph--left\" id=\"QBLULG6BAZEJZBRC3FO4JLA7VE\">He said Watson also had \u201cto settle with the matter with the NFL.  Both of those have been done now.  And now, anybody that wants to file one of these arguments does so at their own risk because there is no such thing, and we&#8217;ll fight tooth and nail on every one of them.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"article__paragraph article__paragraph--left\" id=\"MSJP6KWG25GJ7AKHL44G56VBUQ\">Watson, who also had to pay a $5 million fine as part of his NFL settlement, has maintained his innocence since the first arose in 2020.<\/p>\n<p class=\"article__paragraph article__paragraph--left\" id=\"OE2SU2NCRRG6XHTGQS3CTD6JPI\">Hardin said Nguyen \u201callowed it to sound like this might be a new argument.  She never told anybody that this woman was interviewed by the police in April of 2021. It&#8217;s irresponsible for a lawyer to take that case.  She has an responsibility to investigate a case and make sure that she feels that there is a legitimate basis for bringing it ethical.  Clearly she did not, because her client has been rejected by everybody that looked into it, for over a year.<\/p>\n<p class=\"article__paragraph article__paragraph--left\" id=\"SHNVGT2QA5EWPFBISFIU7VCMDU\">He noted that the plaintiff was not only rejected by the police, but by the Grand Jury in Harris County Texas, and by the NFL when compiling its list of credible cases.<\/p>\n<p class=\"article__paragraph article__paragraph--left\" id=\"6GLDMWPXAJA6PLOOS5DQSI4XIM\">\u201cIt&#8217;s an outrageous argument designed to get a quick settlement, and those days are over,\u201d Hardin said.  \u201cThat ship has sailed.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>&#13;<br \/>\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" frameborder=\"0\" src=\"https:\/\/playlist.megaphone.fm?p=ADLM6780637450\" width=\"100%\" height=\"482\"><\/iframe>&#13;<br \/>\n&#13;<br \/>\n&#13;\n<\/p>\n<p class=\"article__paragraph article__paragraph--left\" id=\"L5D2GGVMFBHZHAHYML5HEXGOAI\"><i><b>Think you know football?  play the <\/b><\/i><i><b>cleveland.com<\/b><\/i><i><b>  Pro Picks Challenge for a chance to win prizes!  Click here: <\/b><\/i><i><b>cleveland.com Pro Picks Challenge<\/b><\/i><\/p>\n<figure class=\"article__image\">\n<div class=\"article__image-wrapper\"><figcaption class=\"article__image-caption\">\n<p class=\"article__mm-image-caption-text\">&#8211;<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p class=\"article__paragraph article__paragraph--left\" id=\"XCHLT52SONHTTDF4744AJCVW2M\"><i><b>Get the latest Browns merchandise: <\/b><\/i><i>Here&#8217;s where you can order<\/i><i>  Cleveland Browns gear online, including jerseys, T-shirts, hoodies, hats and much more.<\/i><\/p>\n<p class=\"article__paragraph article__paragraph--left\" id=\"4FHVVBC42JDDHI2JB7E25KYIMA\"><u><b>More Browns coverage<\/b><\/u><\/p>\n<p class=\"article__paragraph article__paragraph--left\" id=\"Z4VL6SN73NHOTBYX57B6UN7S3U\">Browns&#8217; David Njoku, in midst of career season, expected to miss Bengals game, possibly more with high ankle sprain<\/p>\n<p class=\"article__paragraph article__paragraph--left\" id=\"Y23KWKC2KVFPPFVU36KTJQWQL4\">Winners and Losers from the Browns&#8217; loss to the Ravens<\/p>\n<p class=\"article__paragraph article__paragraph--left\" id=\"2DCNYIMNMFF4DB2725P5DDSLK4\">Kevin Stefanski: Snapper Charley Hughlett didn&#8217;t move the ball on the false start like John Harbaugh believes he did<\/p>\n<p class=\"article__paragraph article__paragraph--left\" id=\"K63HSOUZJZFTRDBEIMFI7KYWE4\">Jacob Phillips likely lost for season with pectoral injury, Kevin Stefanski says;  David Njoku out 2-5 weeks with high ankle sprain<\/p>\n<p class=\"article__paragraph article__paragraph--left\" id=\"DMSBVBT5KFFY5HWUD4ESNWGWAE\">How Isaiah Thomas, Grant Delpit and the rest of the Browns defense graded vs.  the Ravens<\/p>\n<p class=\"article__paragraph article__paragraph--left\" id=\"YMSDWNEO5RCEDHSUYUINN66KXA\">How Nick Chubb, Joel Bitonio and the rest of the Browns offense graded vs.  the Ravens<\/p>\n<p class=\"article__paragraph article__paragraph--left\" id=\"DPZ3G6JB7ZCBXDR2OOZ4CNOOTA\">The Browns&#8217; 23-20 loss to the Baltimore Ravens by the numbers<\/p>\n<p class=\"article__paragraph article__paragraph--left\" id=\"2KAGK2ATQFB5JDPFUBZFGJCJGU\">&#8216;You get to really test your resolve right now&#8217;: Kevin Stefanski speaks on loss to Ravens &#8211; transcript<\/p>\n<p class=\"article__paragraph article__paragraph--left\" id=\"IZQZSGFBJBAOFFPMWIGVXAC67E\">Bengals defensive tackle DJ Reader not expected back for matchup vs.  Browns;  LB Logan Wilson progressing well<\/p>\n<p class=\"article__paragraph article__paragraph--left\" id=\"IZNNV3R77RDCPG7WX3EFWZRCTI\">Bengals&#8217; Trey Hendrickson not expected to miss any time, should face Browns after suffering stinger<\/p>\n<p class=\"article__paragraph article__paragraph--left\" id=\"D7P5SKRNCNEAVCOFUT4OSSAPGI\">My favorite photos from the Cleveland Browns&#8217; 23-20 loss to the Baltimore Ravens<\/p>\n<p class=\"article__paragraph article__paragraph--left\" id=\"2CPI3YCICNBPPLLUWLB6JCRC6I\">Browns lose to the Baltimore Ravens postgame podcast: Orange and Brown Talk<\/p>\n<p class=\"article__paragraph article__paragraph--left\" id=\"GMHS75MSGRDCBJRFEMIGFNUGKY\">Another close Browns loss, yelling in locker room, a challenge for Kevin Stefanski \u2013 Terry Pluto&#8217;s Postgame Scribbles<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>CLEVELAND Ohio &#8212; Deshaun Watson&#8217;s lawyer, Rusty Hardin, job seeking harassment from the attorney for the 26th plaintiff accusing Watson of sexual misconduct during a massage appointment because \u201cit&#8217;s a sham lawsuit.\u201d In a phone interview Tuesday night with cleveland.com, Hardin says text messages from the plaintiff to Watson \u2014 more than 35 that were &hellip;<\/p>\n<p class=\"read-more\"> <a class=\"\" href=\"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/deshaun-watsons-attorney-plaintiffs-text-messages-show-its-an-extortionist-shakedown-seeks-against-her-attorney\/\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Deshaun Watson&#8217;s attorney: Plaintiff&#8217;s text messages show &#8216;it&#8217;s an extortionist shakedown&#8217;;  seeks against her attorney<\/span> Read More &raquo;<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","spay_email":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_is_tweetstorm":false,"jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":96609,"url":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/cleveland-browns-quarterback-deshaun-watson-faces-new-argument\/","url_meta":{"origin":108627,"position":0},"title":"Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson faces new argument","date":"October 14, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson has been sued again for alleged sexual misconduct during a massage session, this time by a licensed massage therapist who said he pressured her into oral sex at The Houstonian hotel in Houston in December 2020.The lawsuit was filed Thursday in Harris County, Texas, by\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Sports&quot;","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":108196,"url":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/deshaun-watson-lawyer-slams-new-argument-with-evidence-against-accuser\/","url_meta":{"origin":108627,"position":1},"title":"Deshaun Watson lawyer slams new argument with evidence against accuser","date":"October 26, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"The attorney for Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson has fired back at the latest lawsuit against his client by filing several exhibits in court that appear to undermine the lawsuit's claims, including that Watson pressured the plaintiff into oral sex at a hotel in Houston in December 2020. Rusty Hardin,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Sports&quot;","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.cleveland.com\/resizer\/nGI602VrY-XIiCY-hOhbcYS7q9U=\/1280x0\/smart\/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com\/advancelocal\/IFR5K7KEYFCPNPCXCJE7POV5YI.JPG","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/108627"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=108627"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/108627\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=108627"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=108627"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=108627"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}