Deshaun Watson has walked away after almost two dozen charges of sexual harassment and misconduct were filed against him.
Last year, Watson was accused of numerous indecent acts during his appointments with massage therapists in a whopping nine criminal complaints.
Fortunately for the Houston Texans player, he will be spending no time in jail after escaping indictment by a grand jury in Houston.
Deshaun Watson Is Unindicted From Sexual Harassment Charges
On Friday, March 11, a Houston grand jury decided against indicting Watson on multiple charges of misconduct and sexual harassment against his massage therapists, according to The New York Times.
The outlet noted that the news was confirmed in a statement by the Harris County District Attorney’s Office addressed to Houston’s ABC13 that day.
Rusty Hardin, lead attorney to the NFL star, told ABC 13 that he and his team are pleased to move forward with the depositions of the civil case.
Watson reportedly invoked the Fifth Amendment and delivered depositions for two of his charges. That same day, the grand jury chose not to indict him.
Hardin’s statement declared that he and his team would vigorously defend all cases against the athlete. He believes that his client is innocent and the plaintiffs’ attorney is manipulating the press for his financial gain. He stated:
“These cases have been the product of a lawyer maximizing his own personal publicity at the expense of others, including his own clients. It is time to let Deshaun move on.”
Watson expressed his feelings about being unindicted in a press conference on March 11. He admitted that it was an emotional moment for him, but there was more to handle legally. He continued:
“I thank my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, for letting the truth be heard. I thank everyone that was a part of this for seeing and hearing both sides.”
On Friday, a grand jury of twelve persons sat in for a 6-hour plus presentation by the Harris County District Attorney’s Office covering nine of the ten criminal cases filed against the 26-year-old.
PEOPLE previously reported that Waston was sued for misbehavior during appointments with his massage therapists, including indecent exposure and intentionally using his penis to touch his therapists’ hands.
Last March, attorney Tony Buzbee came out with the first accusation while representing 22 women who accused the quarterback of sexual misconduct.
The outlet revealed that Watson denied the allegations on Twitter, claiming that he has never disrespected any woman. He called out the plaintiff’s lawyer for requesting a “baseless six-figure settlement demand,” which he rejected.
The athlete continued, “Unlike him, this isn’t about money for me — it’s about clearing my name, and I look forward to doing that.”
Waston still faces civil lawsuits from the 22 women accusing him of misconduct, despite avoiding the criminal charges.
Buzbee expressed to CNN that ahead of Watson’s subsequent deposition on Tuesday, March 15, the civil cases against him will “continue to gather steam.”
Nike Suspends Endorsement With Houston Texans’ Quarterback
The sexual charges against Watson affected his sponsorships as reputable brands did not want to be associated with his public debacle.
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The Blast disclosed last April that Nike terminated their endorsement due to the nature and public backlash surrounding the allegations against him.
That same month, a woman named Ashley Solis came out with claims that she was a victim of Watson’s sexual harassment and misconduct.
Solis reportedly told the media that she has been suffering from depression, panic attacks, anxiety, and other conditions stemming from the athlete’s abuse.
Shortly after these allegations surfaced, Nike released a statement ending their sponsorship with the athlete. The response read:
“We are deeply concerned by the disturbing allegations and have suspended Deshaun Watson. We will continue to closely monitor the situation.”
While in hot waters over accusations of sexual harassment, Watson remained supported by his girlfriend, Jilly Anais, who gave him a special tribute.
The Blast shared that the athlete celebrated his 26th birthday on September 14, and though his football team was yet to send him a birthday greeting, Anais took charge.
The loving girlfriend updated her Instagram page with a carousel of steamy photos of her and Waston, as well wrote as a sweet birthday message assuring him of her unlimited support.
The singer, who met her lover in 2020 after he slid into her Instagram DMs, wrote, “Happy Birthday LoveBug! Walking hand in hand with you 4L.”
