ESPN’s Adam Schefter was among the first to report Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson will not face criminal charges after a grand jury declined to indict him Friday in Harris County court. Watson, who had been facing allegations of sexual assault, spoke to reporters after Friday’s ruling, expressing his relief while vowing to “rebuild my name and rebuild my appearance in the community.”
The burden of proof is obviously much greater in criminal cases than in civil court, where Watson still faces 22 lawsuits. In reporting Friday’s legal outcome, Schefter shared a tweet many perceived as exonerating the three-time Pro Bowler, noting Watson’s confidence that the “truth would come out.”
While acquiring Watson may seem more palatable to teams now that he’s managed to avoid charges (the NFL’s moral ambiguity when it comes to these matters is a subject for another day), that’s not synonymous with innocence or whatever Watson’s version of the “truth” may be.
The vast majority of sexual assaults go unreported with few complaints making it to trial and even fewer resulting in convictions (another defect in our legal system). For instance, comedian Bill Cosby, who has been credibly accused of over 50 sexual assaults—many outside the statute of limitations—currently lives his life as a free man. However, that arbitrary distinction doesn’t absolve him in the court of public opinion or in the eyes of his accusers, who rightfully lamented Cosby’s guilty verdict being overturned in 2021. The same is true of O.J. Simpson and other disgraced celebrities who have gotten off on technicalities, benefiting from the unlimited legal resources afforded by their high level of income.
Predictably, Schefter’s clumsily-worded tweet went over poorly, prompting a clarification hours later.
No one can bat 1,000 on Twitter but as a veteran reporter with a giant following (over nine million followers), Schefter likely should have known better than to post something that would invalidate or cast doubt on the serious allegations levied by Watson’s accusers. Schefter, once lauded for his professionalism, has invited criticism of late with a number of surprising missteps including his reporting of Aaron Rodgers’ trade request (a story he sat on for weeks before unveiling in the hours leading up to the NFL Draft) and a chummy back-and-forth with former Washington football executive Bruce Allen.
As for Watson, now that he’s clear of criminal charges, teams, including the Panthers and Seahawks, are circling, hoping to have a deal in place by the start of the new league year, which begins Wednesday at 4 PM ET. Watson, who the Texans made a healthy scratch for all 17 of their games last season, could still be subject to a lengthy suspension or other discipline if an NFL investigation reveals he violated the league’s personal conduct policy.
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