The first of nearly two dozen women to file lawsuits against Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson has revealed herself to the public. In an emotional press conference Tuesday, Ashley Solis said, “It has taken me a long time to get to this point to come out publicly and speak my truth. I was afraid. I’m not afraid anymore. I am here to take back the power and take back control.” Solis, a massage therapist, was previously known as “Jane Doe No. 1” in court papers. She accuses Watson of sexually harassing and assaulting her in her house after he contracted her services, repeatedly requesting she massage his groin and exposing himself to her. “I replay the incident over and over in my head as if I’m trying to wake up from some horrible nightmare, only this nightmare is real. I feel a range of emotions: guilt, embarrassment, shame, courage, anger, sadness, and numbness,” she said Tuesday. In addition to the civil suits, an anonymous person has filed a criminal complaint against Watson, which Houston police are investigating. Watson has denied the allegations of assault, both civil and criminal. Watson’s attorney accused Solis of going after his client for “hush money” to the tune of $100,000.
