District attorney releases statement on Deshaun Watson decision

Brazoria County District attorney Tom Selleck has released a statement after a grand jury decided not to indict Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson on charges of sexual misconduct Thursday. It was the latest update in several cases against Watson after a Harris County grand jury also decided not to indict him on March 11.

“After a careful and thorough review of the facts and evidence documented in the report prepared by the Brazoria County Sheriff’s Office and the Houston Police Department, as well as hearing the testimony from witnesses, the Grand Jury for Brazoria County has declined to charge Deshaun Watson with any crimes,” Selleck wrote in the statement. “Accordingly, this matter is closed.”

The Houston Texans traded Watson to Cleveland after he was cleared of criminal charges earlier this month. However, the former Clemson star is still facing 22 civil cases regarding sexual misconduct allegations. The latest grand jury decision was not a new complaint, Watson’s attorney, Rusty Hardin, told FOX 8.

Watson didn’t play for Houston during the 2021 season as the situation unfolded. After the initial grand jury decision, Houston worked out a trade to send him to Cleveland for a huge haul of draft picks. Six picks — three first-rounders, a third-rounder and two fourth-round picks — are heading to Houston as part of the deal.

After the trade, Cleveland gave Watson a massive contract extension. He signed a five-year, fully guaranteed $230 million deal with the Browns, making him one of the highest-paid players in the NFL.

Watson’s Brazoria County case was the last known criminal case pending against him. It stems from a November 2020 massage appointment in which a massage therapy student alleged Watson sexually assaulted her. Watson has denied those allegations and Thursday marked what he hopes will be the end of the criminal investigation against him. He now awaits the results of the 22 civil cases.

Rusty Hardin, the lawyer for Deshaun Watson, said the Browns were aware that criminal charges could still be brought against Watson before they traded for him. A Browns spokesman did not specify when the team was informed about the Brazoria County case. The NFL still could suspend Watson for violating its personal conduct policy this upcoming season.

The NFL’s investigation into the allegations against Watson is ongoing. A person who identified himself as a security representative for the NFL requested information from the Houston Police Department on March 15, including witness statements and phone records or social media messages, and also asked for interviews with the police investigators who worked the case, according to police records.

The Browns said in a statement on Sunday that they undertook a “comprehensive evaluation process” before trading for Watson and did “extensive” investigative, legal and reference work. The statement also acknowledged that “some legal proceedings” were continuing, but it was unclear whether that statement was referring to any criminal cases.