Second Texas grand jury declines to indict Watson

A second Texas grand jury declined to indict Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson on Thursday on sexual misconduct charges. 

The Brazoria County grand jury’s decision came after a Harris County grand jury rejected nine criminal cases against the former Houston Texans quarterback this month, according to The New York Times. 

A 10th complaint was filed with the Houston Police Department but fell outside of the jurisdiction of the Harris County District Attorney’s Office, hence the jury’s decision in Brazoria County. In that complaint, a then-massage therapy student said Watson ejaculated on her during a massage appointment in November 2020, the Times reported.

Police said the incident was being investigated as an indecent assault, which constitutes a class A misdemeanor and could result in a year in jail and a maximum fine of $4,000 in Texas, the newspaper added.

The Hill has reached out to the Brazoria County district attorney for comment.

The complainant in that case is one of 22 women, most of whom were massage therapists, who have sued Watson over sexual misconduct or sexual assault.

Watson has maintained his innocence amid the accusations, and his lawyers claimed the lawsuits are a “money grab” on the part of the women.

Despite his legal troubles and numerous accusations, the Browns signed Watson to a five-year deal worth $230 million on Friday, saying that the organization had conducted a thorough review of the allegations against the quarterback.