A Second Texas Grand Jury Declines to Charge Deshaun Watson

A grand jury in Brazoria County in Texas declined on Thursday to convey sexual misconduct expenses in opposition to Deshaun Watson, the previous Houston Texans quarterback who was traded to the Cleveland Browns simply days in the past, district lawyer Tom Selleck stated in an announcement.

A grand jury in Harris County, Texas, the place Houston is, rejected 9 legal instances in opposition to Watson this month. However a tenth legal criticism filed with the Houston Police Division described an alleged incident outdoors the jurisdiction of the Harris County District Lawyer’s Workplace.

The case, in Brazoria County, south of Houston, was the final identified legal case pending in opposition to Watson. The complainant, who was a therapeutic massage remedy scholar on the time, advised the police that Watson ejaculated on her in a November 2020 therapeutic massage appointment.

The publicly out there police report was closely redacted however stated that the complainant advised the police in April 2021 that Watson had “touched her together with his penis and ejaculated inflicting semen to the touch her arm and hand.” The police listed the offense beneath investigation as indecent assault, a category A misdemeanor in Texas punishable by as much as one 12 months in jail and a most high quality of $4,000.

The complainant, whose identify was redacted within the legal criticism, is among the 22 plaintiffs who’re suing Watson in civil courtroom for sexual misconduct throughout therapeutic massage appointments.

Watson has denied all wrongdoing, and his lawyer, Rusty Hardin, has stated that any sexual acts that occurred throughout therapeutic massage appointments have been consensual. After the grand jury in Harris County declined to convey expenses on March 11, Hardin stated in an announcement that “the legal investigations have been accomplished,” although he stated in an interview Thursday that he had identified all alongside {that a} case might be introduced in opposition to Watson in Brazoria County.

“We’re thrilled that the Brazoria County grand jury cleared Deshaun Watson of the one remaining legal allegation,” Hardin stated in an announcement Thursday. “We’ve identified all alongside what individuals who be taught the information additionally know — Deshaun dedicated no crimes.”

Hardin stated that Watson was deposed on this complainant’s civil swimsuit on Tuesday, the day earlier than the Brazoria County grand jury heard the legal case. Watson had invoked his Fifth Modification proper in opposition to self-incrimination to keep away from answering questions within the civil fits whereas legal instances in opposition to him in Harris County have been nonetheless pending. However Watson waived that proper and has answered questions beneath oath for six of the civil instances, together with the deposition on Tuesday, Hardin stated.

Hardin stated that after the legal instances had been rejected by the Harris County grand jury, he was snug letting Watson reply questions for this complainant’s civil swimsuit.

“It was only a sensible resolution,” Hardin stated. “I knew what he was going to say so I took the place that I’m prepared to gamble my license on letting him testify on one case.”

Hardin stated the Browns have been conscious that legal expenses might nonetheless be introduced in opposition to Watson earlier than they traded for him. A Browns spokesman didn’t specify when the staff was knowledgeable in regards to the Brazoria County case.

N.F.L. groups seen the choice in Harris County as a inexperienced mild to pursue Watson through commerce, and the Browns gave Watson a assured five-year, $230 million contract, a document for a assured deal. The construction of the deal — with a 2022 base wage of solely about $1 million — would mitigate Watson’s monetary penalty for lacking video games if the N.F.L. suspends him for a violation of its personal-conduct coverage this season.

The Browns stated in a statement on Sunday that they undertook a “complete analysis course of” earlier than buying and selling for Watson and did “in depth” investigative, authorized and reference work. The assertion additionally acknowledged that “some authorized proceedings” have been persevering with, but it surely was unclear whether or not that assertion was referring to any legal instances.

The N.F.L.’s investigation into the allegations in opposition to Watson is ongoing. An individual who recognized himself as a safety consultant for the N.F.L. requested data from the Houston Police Division on March 15, together with witness statements and cellphone information or social media messages, and in addition requested for interviews with the police investigators who labored the case, in response to police information.

Earlier than the cope with the Browns, Watson additionally met with the Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers and New Orleans Saints final week.