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Deshaun Watson is about to be hit with a 24th lawsuit alleging sexual misconduct.

Attorney Tony Buzbee told Cleveland.com that another massage therapist will file the civil suit on Monday. The news comes less than a week after Buzbee’s client Nia Smith filed the 23rd lawsuit against the Browns quarterback on Tuesday.

News of the lawsuit also came on the same day that Watson’s attorney, Rusty Hardin, issued a statement clarifying the “happy ending” comments he made during a Houston radio interview.

“I don’t know how many men are out there now that have had a massage that perhaps occasionally there was a happy ending, alright?” Hardin said. “Maybe there’s nobody in your listening audience that that never happened to. I do want to point out, if it has happened, it’s not a crime, OK? Unless you are paying somebody extra or so to give you some type of sexual activity, it’s not a crime.”

Hardin issued a statement on Friday night clarifying his remarks.


  Deshaun Watson will be facing a 24th lawsuit from a massage therapist alleging sexual misconduct. Getty Images Deshaun Watson will be facing a 24th lawsuit from a massage therapist alleging sexual misconduct. Getty Images

“Deshaun Watson did nothing wrong,” Hardin wrote. “And as two grand juries have made clear, Deshaun did nothing illegal. Deshaun has always acknowledged consensual sexual activity with three of the plaintiff massage therapists after massages. And Deshaun has repeatedly sworn under oath that he did not force any of his accusers to have sexual contact.

“On a Houston radio show interview today, I mentioned that a massage that has a ‘happy ending’ is not illegal, meaning it is not illegal for someone to have consensual sex with a therapist after a massage unless the sex is for pay. Deshaun did not pay anyone for sex. I was using the term hypothetically and not describing Deshaun’s case.

“I have reiterated to others it’s not ok to do anything that a woman does not agree to do. These women have alleged assault in their pleadings. I was speaking in a hypothetical situation. If there is a consensual sexual encounter after a massage, that is not a crime nor the basis for a civil lawsuit. I was not talking about what Deshaun did or did not do or expected or did not expect.”

In response, Buzbee told ESPN’s John Barr that Hardin may have cost his client the case, “because I’m absolutely going to use that comment because I think it speaks volumes to how he, his team and his client think about the massage industry.”

It was also revealed earlier this week that Watson allegedly offered each of the first 22 plaintiffs who filed suit against the quarterback for sexual misconduct $100,000 last year, but required an “aggressive” non-disclosure agreement as part of the deal.

Watson, meanwhile, has continued to practice with the team during OTAs as he awaits word from the NFL what if any disciplinary action he will face from the league under its personal conduct policy. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said last month that the league was nearing the end of its investigative period and said he had no timetable for a decision on a possible suspension and/or fine.

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