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Watson is accused of sexual misconduct during massage therapy
sessions, both in civil court among all of the 22 women who have
brought suit, as well as in criminal court, where he faces
complaints from some of those same women and faces the
possibility of criminal charges.
Watson's lawyer, Rusty Hardin, argued that with a possible
criminal case pending, a delay could prevent Watson from
incriminating himself. According to reports, the date sought was
April 1, when the grand jury is expected to be ready to either
bring criminal charges or not.
The women's attorney, Tony Buzbee, wanted a speedier timeline.
"The obligation of the lawyer is to protect the client and while
there is a criminal investigation going on, it is only fair to
wait to see whether it results in charges or it doesn't before
deciding whether you're going to submit somebody for
depositions," Hardin told reporters Monday.
The judge presiding over the case ruled Monday that Watson can
be questioned under oath only pertaining to allegations levied
by the women who have not filed a criminal complaint.
What that means for Watson is that while he can delay any
testimony pertaining to the alleged victims in a potential
criminal case, opposing lawyers in that case could still draw
from the testimony relating to the women involved in the civil
cases.
The lingering situation won't likely help Watson, a subject of
trade rumors for months, settle on any future NFL destination.
Likewise, the NFL is watching the case and conducting its own
investigation into whether league discipline might be
appropriate.
Watson, 26, sat out the entire 2021 season.
--Field Level Media
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