Newly acquired Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson is facing a second grand jury deliberation in Texas over allegations that he sexually assaulted a woman after a separate grand jury in Houston declined to press similar charges against the NFL star on March 11.
The grand jury in Brazoria County, south of Houston, is expected to announce a decision on Thursday or Friday, according to multiple reports. The county District Attorney's office did not immediately respond to DailyMail.com's request for comment.
In Brazoria County, Watson is accused of touching an unidentified female masseuse with his penis and ejaculating on her arm and hand, according to a heavily redacted police report.
Last year, Watson was sued by 22 women – mostly massage therapists – over allegations of sexual assault and harassment. The lawsuits claim Watson forced two women to perform oral sex on him, ejaculated on three women, and forcibly kissed another, while 18 women say Watson touched them with his penis during massages.
Nine of those accusers filed criminal complaints in Harris County, where Houston is located, but that grand jury declined to press charges against the former Houston Texans star earlier this month.
With the specter of legal action seemingly out of the way, the Browns on Friday traded three first-round picks and a fourth-rounder to the Texans for Watson, who was then rewarded with a five-year, $230 million contract in Cleveland.
The grand jury proceeding in Brazoria County was first reported by Cleveland's Fox affiliate.
Watson has denied any wrongdoing, and his attorney, Rusty Hardin, has insisted that any sexual contact between his client and the accusers was entirely consensual.
Hardin previously claimed that 'the criminal investigations have been completed' but that statement has proven to be premature.
Neither Hardin nor Tony Buzbee, the attorney representing Watson's 22 accusers, immediately responded to DailyMail.com's request for comment.
Newly acquired Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson is facing a second grand jury deliberation in Texas over allegations that he sexually assaulted a woman after a separate grand jury in Houston declined to press similar charges against the NFL star on March 11
The Browns have faced criticism over the acquisition of Watson.
In response, Cleveland general manager Andrew Berry has insisted that the team did its due diligence by conducting 'extensive investigative, legal and reference work over the past several months.'
Browns owners Dee and Jimmy Haslam said in their own statement on Sunday that they were 'empathetic' to the criticism.
'We are acutely aware and empathetic to the highly personal sentiments expressed about this decision,' The Haslams said in theirstatement. 'Our team's comprehensive evaluation process was of utmost importance due to the sensitive nature of his situation and the complex factors involved. We also understand there are still some legal proceedings that are ongoing and we will respect due process.'
The Browns traded for Watson on Friday, sending three future first-round picks and a fourth-rounder to Houston for the three-time Pro Bowl selection after a Houston grand jury declined to press criminal charges against him earlier this month. Watson, 26, waived his no-trade clause to facilitate the deal, which came with a new fully guaranteed, five-year, $230 million contract that included a $44.5 million signing bonus.
Browns owners Dee and Jimmy Haslam said in their own statement on Sunday that the club conducted a rigorous investigation into Watson, who faces 22 lawsuits for sexual misconduct
Following criticism from Browns fans and a women's group over the controversial trade, team general manager Andrew Berry (pictured) insisted that the team did its due diligence by conducting 'extensive investigative, legal and reference work over the past several months'
Although he denied the claims, insisting any sexual interaction was consensual, Watson was subsequently benched throughout the 2021 season by the Texans.
The acquisition of the embattled Watson has split fans and sports pundits.
Some, like Akron native LeBron James, celebrated the move on social media, while many others have criticized the team for being oblivious to the concerns about Watson.
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