Tony Buzbee, the attorney who represented 20 women who accused Deshaun Watson of sexual assault or harassment, said he is leading counsel in a civil lawsuit filed last week against kicker Brandon McManus and the Jacksonville Jaguars.
In a social media post Tuesday, the attorney said the Buzbee law firm is the lead attorney for two women who have filed a case against McManus.
According to ESPN, the women suing McManus say he sexually assaulted them last year on a charter flight to London while he was playing for Jacksonville.
In an Instagram post, Buzbee said he and his clients were trying to resolve the case without lawsuits.
“Our efforts to reach a resolution were met with arrogance, ignorance and stupidity, strikingly similar to the way Deshaun Watson’s team responded when we attempted to resolve these cases before they were filed,” Buzbee wrote.
The lead attorney in the case against kicker Brandon McManus (above) is the same attorney who represented multiple women who accused Browns QB Deshaun Watson of similar crimes
Two women are suing the Jaguars and their former kicker after claiming he sexually assaulted them on a team flight to London last year (Photo: Jaguars players board flight)
“The allegations in this lawsuit are very serious. We made sure we fully vetted them and spoke to witnesses before taking the cases.”
Citing court documents that have not yet been placed in Duval County public records, ESPN reported Monday that the women, identified as Jane Doe I and Jane Doe II, accuse McManus of rubbing and grinding against them during the flight and the Jaguars of failing to do so. supervises him and creates a safe environment for the staff serving the team.
According to ESPN, they are demanding more than $1 million and asking for a jury trial.
McManus’ attorney called the allegations “absolutely fictitious and demonstrably false allegations.”
“We intend to aggressively defend Brandon’s rights and integrity and clear his name by exposing what these claims really are – an attempted extortion,” Brett R. Gallaway of McLaughlin & Stern said in a statement to the AP.
Buzbee did not return multiple requests for comment from the Associated Press when contacted for additional information.
Jaguars coach Doug Pederson said Tuesday he was unaware of the allegations until the lawsuit became public Monday.
“It’s obviously disappointing to hear the news that has occurred,” Pederson said. ‘A normal flight is not like that. It’s a business trip.
McManus’ legal team has strongly denied claims that the NFL star sexually assaulted two women during his time with the Jacksonville Jaguars.
“It’s a business trip, and that’s how we approach it from an organizational point of view, from a competition point of view. So when I read that, that part of it is disappointing.”
McManus, who turns 33 in July, signed with the Washington Commanders in March. The Philadelphia native has been in the league for 10 years, including the first nine seasons with the Denver Broncos after playing at Temple.
A spokesperson for the Commanders said the team is investigating the situation and has spoken with McManus’ agent and the NFL office, adding, “We take these types of allegations very seriously.”
The Jaguars said they were aware of the complaint and acknowledged the significance of the claims.
“As we continue to investigate the matter, it must be emphasized that we insist on an organization built by people who represent our community and game with the highest character and class,” the Jaguars said in a statement.
Deshaun Watson was not charged with any crime after a grand jury declined to indict the quarterback.
The NFL suspended Watson for 11 games into the 2022 season, forcing the now-Cleveland Browns signal caller to pay a $5 million fine, undergo an evaluation by behavioral experts and complete a treatment program.
