Reports: Criminal Case Against Deshaun Watson to be Presented to Grand Jury Friday
In terms of a potential criminal case, there could be some clarity concerning Deshaun Watson's situation this week.
The New York Times reported Tuesday that the 10 women who made criminal complaints against the Houston Texans quarterback for sexual misconduct have received subpoenas to appear before a grand jury Friday. Watson had 22 civil cases filed against him dating back to last March, but no criminal charges have officially been filed.
That could change Friday when the district attorney presents a criminal case, but Rusty Hardin, Watson's lawyer, feels like his client, who's allegedly committed the misconduct during massage sessions, will avoid charges.
"The free agency time is around the corner and we’ve wanted this decision to be made by then and it looks like they’re going to and I’m welcoming it,” Hardin said to The New York Times. “There’s never been any crime here, no matter if you call it indecent assault or anything else. These are civil matters that belong in the civil courts.”
Speaking of that, Watson, a former Clemson quarterback, is scheduled to testify in civil court on the same day as the grand jury hearing, but Hardin said it will prove "worthless" as he's advising Watson to invoke the Fifth Amendment to avoid incriminating himself, which could hurt his civil case.
Watson, who didn't play during the 2021 season, has been seeking a trade from the Texans since last year, but after the lawsuits were filed, his departure from the franchise was put on hold. If there are no criminal charges brought against him this week, it opens up the opportunity for the Texans to make a deal with another team.
Watson is currently going to cost Houston over $40 million on the salary cap, so there is that incentive to move him before free agency begins on March 16. With Aaron Rodgers officially staying in Green Bay and Russell Wilson being traded from Seattle to Denver on Monday, Watson could be the most desirable quarterback on the market, but the asking price by the Texans remains steep.
Friday should bring more clarity to his situation. And according to a report from ProFootballTalk.com, Tony Buzbee, the lawyer for the lawsuit plaintiffs, didn't want to delay the civil deposition until Monday to await the criminal decision.
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