Tony Buzbee is back.
The lawyer who represented more than 20 women who had claims against Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson for sexual misconduct during massage sessions represents the two flight attendants who claim that former Jaguars (now Commanders) kicker Brandon McManus sexually assaulted them on a flight from Jacksonville to London.
Buzbee posted this message on Instagram regarding the litigation: “For those who have inquired, The Buzbee Law Firm is lead counsel for the two women who brought this case. We filed the case on Friday, but before that filing we attempted, without success, to resolve this matter without the need for litigation. Our efforts at resolution were met with arrogance, ignorance and stupidity, strikingly similar to how Deshaun Watson’s team responded when we tried to resolve those cases pre-filing. The allegations made in this lawsuit are very serious. We made sure to fully vet them and speak to witnesses before even taking the cases. We will pursue this case with the same tenacity we are known for. It’s a shame that this type of conduct still occurs. It happens far too often. These women were simply trying to do their jobs!”
It’s unclear when McManus and/or the Jaguars were first notified of the claims, or whether the NFL was notified of the potential violation(s) of the Personal Conduct Policy. It’s also unknown whether the information was disclosed to the Commanders before McManus signed with them earlier this year.
Although the case has been described as an “extortion attempt,” it is normal and usual for lawyers to send a demand letter before filing a lawsuit. As mentioned in the attached clip, my first writing assignment in law school was to write a demand letter.
They are sent every day, coast to coast. But the hundreds if not thousands.
The question in response to each demand letter is whether the pre-suit settlement effort is taken seriously, or whether it is dismissed. Watson, by refusing to respond to a fairly low opening demand from his first alleged victim of $100,000, learned the hard way. Whether a similar lesson will be learned by McManus and the Jaguars remains to be seen.