Attorney claims ‘Deshaun Watson did nothing wrong’

CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO) - Deshaun Watson’s attorney, Rusty Hardin, defended his client on a Houston radio show on Friday afternoon.

On SportsRadio 610 Hardin told Sean Pedergast and Seth Payne, “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.”

After the radio appearance picked up some buzz, Hardin released the following statement:

“Deshaun Watson did nothing wrong. 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.”

Watson has been in Cleveland working out with the Browns and remains eligible to play.

The NFL has met with him, but has not handed down any discipline yet.

It is not known when that will happen.