A grand jury will be convened to determine if there is sufficient evidence against Texans QB Deshaun Watson to bring criminal charges against him, per Mark Berman of Fox 26 KRIV. As Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk observes, Watson’s camp has expected that this would be the case, so it’s not as though the embattled QB is surprised by the development.
Of the 22 women who have filed civil suits against Watson alleging sexual abuse/misconduct, 10 of them have filed criminal complaints. At this time, the Harris County DA’s Office is sending out subpoenas to compel witnesses to testify before the grand jury.
It would not be surprising if an indictment is handed down. As Florio points outs, the nature of grand jury proceedings — which take place without the defendant present and without the opportunity for the defendant’s attorney to cross-examine witnesses — make an indictment relatively easy for prosecutors to obtain.
If Watson is, in fact, indicted, it would likely be enough for the NFL to place him on the Commissioner’s Exempt list, which has been rumored for some time but which has not happened yet. Following the publication of an expansive piece by Jenny Vrentas of SI.com that criticizes the league’s investigation into the allegations against Watson, the NFL has said there is still no change to Watson’s playing status, via ESPN’s Kimberley A. Martin.
Indeed, veteran writer Clarence Hill Jr. reports that the league is not planning to interview Watson until it has spoken to all 22 of his reported victims, and as of right now, it has spoken to only 10. So, even if an indictment forces the NFL to put Watson on paid leave, it seems as if this matter is still a long way from a resolution, both in the courtroom and on the football field.
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