Texas Grand Jury Considers Another Charge Against Watson


Days after Deshaun Watson was traded to the Cleveland Browns, the second grand jury in Texas is considering evidence of another sexual misconduct charge against the NFL quarterback, according to the complainant’s attorney, Tony Buzbee.

The case in Brazoria County, south of Houston, is the final criminal case against Watson. The complainant told police that Watson ejaculated at a massage appointment in November 2020. Buzbee said he expects the grand jury to make a decision on the case today or tomorrow. Neither the Browns nor Watson’s attorney, Rusty Hardin, were available for immediate comment.

A grand jury in Harris County, Texas, where Houston is located, dismissed nine criminal cases against Watson earlier this month. However, the 10th criminal complaint filed with the Houston Police Department described an incident that allegedly occurred outside the jurisdiction of the Harris County District Attorney’s Office.

The public police report was largely rectified, but the complainant told police that Watson “touched and ejaculated with his penis, causing semen to touch his arm and hand”.

The complainant named in the criminal complaint is one of 22 plaintiffs who sued Watson in civil court for sexual abuse during massage appointments.

Watson denied all wrongdoing, and Hardin said that sexual acts that occur during massage appointments are consensual.

After the Harris County grand jury denied charges on March 11, Hardin said in a statement that “criminal investigations are complete.” NFL teams saw the Harris County decision as the green light to follow Watson through the trade, and the Browns awarded Watson a five-year, $230 million guaranteed contract, a record for a guaranteed deal. They structured the deal to mitigate Watson’s financial penalty should the NFL suspend his 2022 base salary for violating his personal behavior policy by setting his 2022 base salary to just over $1 million, minimizing every possible missed game check.

said the browns in a statement On Sunday, they announced they were conducting a “extensive evaluation process” and conducting “extensive” investigative, legal and reference studies before trading for Watson. The statement acknowledged that “some legal action” is still pending, but it was unclear whether the Browns were aware that a lawsuit would be filed with the Brazoria County grand jury this week.

The NFL’s investigation into the allegations against Watson continues. A person who identified himself as a safety representative for the NFL requested information from Houston Police on March 15, including witness statements and phone records or social media messages, as well as an interview with police investigators working on the case. police records.

Buzbee said Watson exercised her Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination in civil testimony given prior to the Harris County grand jury’s verdict, but waived that right and answered questions under oath in testimony last week and this week.

Prior to signing with the Browns, Watson also teamed up with the Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers and New Orleans Saints last week. According to one person who had direct knowledge of these negotiations and requested anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly, the Panthers were unwilling to honor Watson and his agents’ request to guarantee the last two years of his contract.

Kevin Draper contributing reporting.





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