USA TODAY Sports
On Friday, a grand jury will finally hear the criminal complaints filed last year against Texans quarterback Deshawn Watson. Will the criminal trial end today?
This will end today only if the grand jury decides not to charge Watson with any crime. While there is a quiet optimism in Watson’s camp that he will not be charged, since the charges against him do not amount to criminal conduct, one or two misdemeanors are possible.
But wrongdoing can be dealt with by quickly pleading guilty, or withdrawing from the contest, or participating in a diversion program. However, any of those results would almost guarantee a suspension. The question is whether Watson will fight offenses in the hope of avoiding or minimizing the discipline imposed by the league.
The outcome of Friday will be strongly influenced by the zeal of the prosecutor. The same leeway that allows a prosecutor to indict a ham sandwich (given that a ham sandwich has no lawyer in the room and no right to present conflicting evidence or arguments) gives the prosecutor the opportunity to work out a decision not to indict a given suspect. if the prosecutor decides to present exculpatory evidence and/or point out shortcomings in the case.
At this time, we do not know if the prosecutor intends to indict Watson and to what extent. But there is one potential clue in the timing of the grand jury presentation of evidence.
Earlier, lawyer Rusty Hardin expressed confidence that the work of the grand jury would be completed by April 1. Given that the grand jury received the case today, it’s possible that the prosecutor decided to adjust the schedule to allow Watson to provide professional clarity as the league’s annual trade/free agency period begins.
In other words, if the prosecutor were determined to make life as difficult for Watson as possible, the prosecutor would drag it out by having Watson watch the opportunities disappear as his legal status remains unresolved. Moving now, the prosecutor may want to be fair to Watson.
In turn, this could mean that the prosecutor will present fair and balanced evidence rather than seize the opportunity to force the grand jury to bring Watson the worst possible charges, regardless of the likelihood of a conviction.
Even so, the grand jury decides whether to bring formal charges. This decision may come today, or later.