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A grand jury in Brazoria County in Texas declined on Thursday to deliver sexual misconduct costs 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 mentioned in an announcement.
A grand jury in Harris County, Texas, the place Houston is, rejected 9 felony circumstances in opposition to Watson this month. However a tenth felony criticism filed with the Houston Police Division described an alleged incident exterior the jurisdiction of the Harris County District Legal professional’s Workplace.
The case, in Brazoria County, south of Houston, was the final identified felony case pending in opposition to Watson. The complainant, who was a therapeutic massage remedy pupil on the time, advised the police that Watson ejaculated on her in a November 2020 therapeutic massage appointment.
The publicly accessible police report was closely redacted however mentioned that the complainant advised the police in April 2021 that Watson had “touched her along with his penis and ejaculated inflicting semen to the touch her arm and hand.” The police listed the offense underneath investigation as indecent assault, a category A misdemeanor in Texas punishable by as much as one yr in jail and a most superb of $4,000.
The complainant, whose identify was redacted within the felony criticism, is likely one of 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 mentioned that any sexual acts that occurred throughout therapeutic massage appointments have been consensual. After the grand jury in Harris County declined to deliver costs on March 11, Hardin mentioned in an announcement that “the felony investigations have been accomplished,” although he mentioned 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 felony allegation,” Hardin mentioned in an announcement Thursday. “We’ve identified all alongside what individuals who study the info additionally know — Deshaun dedicated no crimes.”
Hardin mentioned that Watson was deposed on this complainant’s civil go well with on Tuesday, the day earlier than the Brazoria County grand jury heard the felony case. Watson had invoked his Fifth Modification proper in opposition to self-incrimination to keep away from answering questions within the civil fits whereas felony circumstances in opposition to him in Harris County have been nonetheless pending. However Watson waived that proper and has answered questions underneath oath for six of the civil circumstances, together with the deposition on Tuesday, Hardin mentioned.
Hardin mentioned that after the felony circumstances had been rejected by the Harris County grand jury, he was comfy letting Watson reply questions for this complainant’s civil go well with.
“It was only a sensible determination,” Hardin mentioned. “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.”
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Hardin mentioned the Browns have been conscious that felony costs may nonetheless be introduced in opposition to Watson earlier than they traded for him. A Browns spokesman didn’t specify when the group was knowledgeable concerning the Brazoria County case.
N.F.L. groups seen 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 file 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 mentioned 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 additionally acknowledged that “some authorized proceedings” have been persevering with, however it was unclear whether or not that assertion was referring to any felony circumstances.
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 info from the Houston Police Division on March 15, together with witness statements and telephone information or social media messages, and likewise requested for interviews with the police investigators who labored the case, in keeping with police information.
Earlier than the take care of the Browns, Watson additionally met with the Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers and New Orleans Saints final week.
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