Second grand jury declines to indict Browns QB Deshaun Watson
A second grand jury in Texas declined to indict Deshaun Watson on Thursday.
This grand jury in Brazoria County, south of Houston, had been considering a criminal complaint from a woman who claims Watson performed a sexual act during a massage in November 2020 when he was the quarterback of the Texans. The woman claimed the incident took place at her mother’s home in Pearland.
“After a careful and thorough review of the facts and evidence documented in the reports prepared by the Brazoria County Sheriff’s Office and the Houston Police Department, as well as hearing testimony from witnesses, the Grand Jury for Brazoria County has declined to charge Deshaun Watson with any crimes. Accordingly, this matter is closed,” Brazoria county district attorney Tom Selleck said in a statement.
The Texans traded Watson to the
Cleveland Browns last Friday.
Watson is facing 22 civil lawsuits from women who accuse him of various forms of sexual misconduct, and he could be disciplined by the NFL. A grand jury in Harris County, Texas, declined to indict Watson criminally in connection with any of the cases earlier this month, setting the wheels in motion to trade the disgruntled quarterback.
Back in Cleveland, Watson reportedly passed his physical on Thursday and is expected to participate in his introductory press conference on Friday.
The Browns sent five draft picks – including three in the first round – to the Houston Texans for Watson and a 2024 fifth-round pick. Watson and the Browns agreed to terms on a five-year contract with an NFL-record $230m guaranteed.
Cleveland owners Dee and Jimmy Haslam said in a statement on Sunday they did their due diligence about the second grand jury proceeding before
making the trade.
Attorney Tony Buzbee, who represents each of the plaintiffs, said the Browns didn’t contact him.
“I didn’t expect them to but I would’ve taken their call, and if they had specific questions that I could disclose to him, I certainly would’ve done it,” Buzbee told ESPN. “And if they wanted to talk to some of the plaintiffs, I would’ve made them available just like I did with the NFL, if they wanted to. Ultimately it (would’ve have been) up to the women, but (no team) did that.”
A first-round pick in 2017, Watson was 28-25 as the starter in Houston. The three-time Pro Bowl selection passed for 14,539 yards and 104 touchdowns (36 interceptions) and rushed for 1,677 yards and 17 scores in four seasons.
He did not play in 2021 amid his request for a trade and his legal issues. The first civil suit was filed 16 March 2021.