A grand jury in Brazoria County in Texas is contemplating proof associated to a tenth accusation of sexual misconduct in opposition to Deshaun Watson, the previous Houston Texans quarterback who was traded to the Cleveland Browns simply days in the past, in accordance with a lawyer for the complainant.
A grand jury in Harris County, Texas, the place Houston is, rejected 9 legal circumstances in opposition to Watson earlier 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, is the final legal case pending in opposition to Watson. The complainant informed police that Watson ejaculated on her in a November 2020 therapeutic massage appointment. Her lawyer, Tony Buzbee, stated he expects the grand jury to deliberate and situation a call on Thursday or Friday. Neither the Browns nor Rusty Hardin, Watson’s lawyer, had been instantly out there for remark.
The newest grand jury continuing was first reported by Fox 8 WJW in Cleveland.
The publicly out there police report was closely redacted however stated that the complainant informed police that Watson “touched her together with his penis and ejaculated inflicting semen to the touch her arm and hand.”
The complainant, whose identify was redacted within the legal criticism, is without doubt one of the 22 plaintiffs who’re suing Watson in civil court docket for sexual misconduct throughout therapeutic massage appointments.
Watson has denied all wrongdoing, and Hardin has stated that any sexual acts that occurred throughout therapeutic massage appointments had been consensual.
After the grand jury in Harris County declined to carry costs on March 11, Hardin stated in a press release that “the legal investigations have been accomplished.” N.F.L. groups considered the choice in Harris County as a inexperienced gentle to pursue Watson through commerce, and the Browns gave Watson a assured five-year, $230 million contract, a document for a assured deal. They structured the deal to mitigate Watson’s monetary penalty if the N.F.L. suspends him for a violation of its personal-conduct coverage by setting his 2022 base wage at simply over $1 million, minimizing every potential missed recreation verify.
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 “intensive” investigative, authorized and reference work. The assertion acknowledged that “some authorized proceedings” had been nonetheless ongoing, but it surely was unclear whether or not the Browns had been conscious {that a} case could be introduced earlier than the Brazoria County grand jury this week.
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 telephone data or social-media messages, and likewise requested for interviews with the police investigators who labored the case, in accordance with police data.
Watson invoked his Fifth Modification proper in opposition to self-incrimination in civil depositions given earlier than the choice by the Harris County grand jury, however waived that proper and answered questions underneath oath in depositions final week and this week, Buzbee stated.
Earlier than the take care of the Browns, Watson additionally met with the Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers and New Orleans Saints final week.
Kevin Draper contributed reporting.