A grand jury in Brazoria County, Texas, has declined to charge Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson after he was accused of sexual misconduct by a message therapist.
The announcement was made on Thursday afternoon by Brazoria County District Attorney Tom Selleck, according to Mario Diaz of NBC affiliate KPRC 2 in Houston.
The development comes nearly two weeks after a grand jury in Harris County, Texas, similarly declined to indict Watson after criminal complaints were filed by nine women alleging sexual assault and harassment.
The grand jury's return of "no bills" in the Harris County cases paved the way for Watson's trade last week to Browns, who promptly signed Watson to a record contract extension after surrendering several draft picks to the Texans in exchange for the three-time Pro Bowl quarterback.
News of the Brazoria County case first surfaced earlier on Thursday. The alleged victim claimed Watson ejaculated on her during a massage in November 2020, the New York Times reported.
Despite avoiding criminal charges to date, Watson still faces 20-plus civil lawsuits from women alleging various forms harassment and misconduct, and he could be punished under the NFL's personal conduct policy, pending an ongoing league investigation.
Days after acquiring Watson, but before the second case in Brazoria County came to light, the Browns released a statement in response to criticism over the blockbuster trade:
“We spent a tremendous amount of time exploring and investigating the opportunity to trade for Deshaun Watson," Browns owners Dee and Jimmy Haslam said in a statement. "We are acutely aware and empathetic to the highly personal sentiments expressed about this decision. 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.”
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