An additional lawsuit alleging that Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson committed sexual assault and misconduct during massage sessions was filed on Monday in Harris County (Texas) District Court.
Watson now faces 24 civil cases in total.
In the new suit, Katy Williams, the plaintiff identified by name who owned and operated a massage therapy business in Houston, alleges she was sexually assaulted in the second of two massage sessions with Watson in August 2020.
Williams states that she had no issues with Watson in an Aug. 5, 2020 session and that he "was professional." However, in the second session on Aug. 9, Williams alleges Watson exposed himself to her, proceeded to touch himself and performed a sexual act.
The NFL declined comment on Monday's lawsuit filing.
According to the lawsuit, Williams is coming forward now "after reading Deshaun Watson proclaimed he has no regrets and that he has done nothing wrong," sentiments Watson expressed during his introductory news conference with the Cleveland Browns in March.
"He may in fact have no regrets, but he has certainly done wrong," the lawsuit states.
The lawsuit also references comments made last Friday by Watson's attorney, Rusty Hardin, on a Houston radio station that "happy endings" are not illegal.
"Watson's lawyer claims that 'happy endings' are common in massage therapy and, short of paying extra for it, such conduct is not a crime," the lawsuit stated.
Hardin later clarified that he was speaking in hypotheticals and that Watson "did not pay anyone for sex."
A separate suit filed May 31 was the first new lawsuit filed against Watson since April 2021.
"We are unable to respond to the new lawsuit at this time." Hardin said in a statement. "Our legal team has not had time to investigate this new filing and had not heard her name until today. Deshaun continues to deny he did anything inappropriate with any of the plaintiffs."
Watson, 26, has previously denied any wrongdoing and maintained any sex with the women was consensual. Two grand juries in Texas have declined to indict Watson on criminal complaints filed by 10 women.
Watson is facing potential discipline from the NFL, which is independently investigating whether he violated the league's personal-conduct policy.
League investigators have interviewed Watson in Houston previously. At the Spring League Meeting, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said the league is "nearing the end of the investigation" into Watson, but Goodell did not provide a timeline for a decision to be announced.
