Second grand jury takes up case against Deshaun Watson

A second grand jury convened on Wednesday to hear evidence against Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson, who signed one of the richest contracts in NFL history last week. 

Fox 8, a local news station in Texas, reported the update but said the district attorney would release more information later in the day. 

“It’s not a new complaint,” Watson’s attorney Rusty Hardin told the outlet, noting that the complaint was from one of the women in the civil lawsuits against the athlete.

Watson faces lawsuits from 22 women, most of whom were massage therapists, accusing him of sexual misconduct or sexual assault. His lawyers claim the lawsuits are a “money grab” on the part of the women.

Earlier this month, a grand jury declined to indict Watson on criminal charges after being presented evidence by the Harris County district attorney’s office tied to nine out of 10 of the claims filed against him. The 10th claim was not presented to the grand jury.

Despite his legal troubles, the Browns signed Watson to a five-year deal worth $230 million on Friday, claiming that it conducted a thorough review of the allegations against him. 

However, Tony Buzbee, the attorney representing Watson’s accusers, said no one from the organization contacted him or his clients about Watson. 

“I didn’t expect them too,” he told Fox 8. “I would have certainly talked to them had they asked to talk to any of my clients and had the clients wanted to do, so I would have allowed that to happen.”

“Each of these women has been pretty confident, pretty consistent about what has happened to them,” Buzbee added.

The Hill has reached out to attorneys for the women and for Watson for comment.