Grand jury will hear proof on Friday in case involving Houston Texans QB Deshaun Watson

A grand jury will hear proof Friday within the case involving Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson, the identical day he additionally will face questions for the primary time in not less than a few of his pending civil lawsuits.

Watson’s legal professional Rusty Hardin confirmed the timing of the prison and civil proceedings to ESPN and added he’ll instruct Watson to say his Fifth Modification proper to not incriminate himself throughout his testimony within the civil case Friday, provided that he may very well be criminally charged that very same day.

“I am not going to let him reply questions from anyone earlier than that grand jury has made its resolution. There’s not a lawyer within the nation that will,” Hardin informed ESPN on Tuesday night time.

The New York Times first reported Tuesday that a number of of the ladies who’ve filed prison complaints towards Watson have been subpoenaed to look earlier than the grand jury Friday.

The grand jury course of doesn’t require a unanimous vote. If 9 of the 12 grand jurors return what’s often called a “true invoice” underneath Texas legislation, Harris County, Texas, District Lawyer Kim Ogg may then decide to proceed with a prison case towards Watson, Hardin stated.

The vary of potential prison costs Watson faces embrace indecent assault, assault and harassment, all misdemeanor offenses. He is also charged with the extra critical sexual assault, a second-degree felony in Texas, punishable by two-to-20 years in jail.

The district legal professional’s workplace has declined to touch upon the case.

The 22 civil circumstances filed towards Watson accuse him of a spread of actions throughout therapeutic massage appointments, from touching girls together with his genitals to pressured oral intercourse.

Whereas a call on prison costs may come as early as Friday, Watson will face a number of days of depositions within the 22 pending civil circumstances, as every of the plaintiff’s in these circumstances can query him for as much as two hours, Hardin stated.

“As soon as the grand jury course of is concluded we intend for him to start out answering questions in depositions,” Hardin stated.

Watson continues to be the supply of NFL commerce rumors regardless of his authorized troubles. He didn’t play all season for the Texans however remained on the lively roster.