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Sexual Assault Suits Against Watson

djohn2oo8 said:
You would think so. 22 lawsuits would still exist and affect his trade value in the event of no criminal charges. You think I’m being negative? I’m being realistic. There’s no point of even discussing trades right now.
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Then don't and butt out of others doing so.
 
It’s unknown how long prosecutors will take presenting evidence to the grand jury or whether it will be limited to Friday’s proceedings. However, lawyers involved in the proceedings told Yahoo Sports that “multiple” witnesses will be called for testimony, including some of the 10 women who filed civil lawsuits and criminal complaints against Watson. Evidence collected by the Houston Police Department in the case will also be presented to the grand jury. However, Watson will not be asked to make an appearance before the grand jury, with the indictment ultimately resting on whether jurors believe there is enough evidence and compelling testimony presented to indict Watson for a crime.


- Yahoo Sports
 
IDEXAN said:
So then you say the decision to go to a criminal trial is ultimately up to the jurors, and not the DA, and in other words it is not a joint decision ?
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They aren’t technically bound by a Grand Jury/GJ - even if the GJ “no-billed” it doesn’t mean the DA couldn’t take the case again to a newly empaneled GJ for a similar felony review. However, the PR with that would be problematic. The DA could also choose to move on misdemeanor charges outside of the GJ proceedings if they don’t find enough probable cause to advance on felony counts.
 
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houstonhurricane said:
They aren’t technically bound by a Grand Jury/GJ - even if the GJ “no-billed” it doesn’t mean the DA couldn’t take the case again to a newly empaneled GJ for a similar felony review. However, the PR with that would be problematic. The DA could also choose to move on misdemeanor charges outside of the GJ proceedings if they don’t find enough probable cause to advance on felony counts.
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As I've posted previously, this is not all too uncommon. At that point, the PR factor is questionable in this type of case. Let's not forget that it takes only 3 misdemeanors of a similar type to go to felony level.
 
Number19 said:
Explain how a grand jury can be leaning in any direction when they have not been presented with the case?
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No doubt, poor wording. The PROSECUTOR has determined that the case be presented to the grand jury and therefore feels that there is a significant chance for indictment. With weak evidence, after the prosecutor has gathered the information, it is not uncommon that he chooses not to even present the case to the grand jury, and the case dies. Obviously, this is not the case with Watson.
 
Number19 said:
Explain how a grand jury can be leaning in any direction when they have not been presented with the case?
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easy...b/c its generally a 1-sided affair in favor of the prosecutor...hence the "indict a ham sandwich" saying & why the grand jury system in general is a flawed concept. If all you hear is 1 side where a prosecutor is going to play up every little inconsistency, how can you not be leaning in that particular direction?
 
CloakNNNdagger said:
As I've posted previously, this is not all too uncommon. At that point, the PR factor is questionable in this type of case. Let's not forget that it takes only 3 misdemeanors of a similar type to go to felony level.
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I'm not sure we can expect to see an elected DA run this down to misdemeanors if they no bill him. Technically, it may not be uncommon but it could be politically problematic In a case like this. In my view, they either don’t think (or care) they have a case and expect the GJ to make the public decision for them or they think they do and are going to aggressively pursue it, which likely means he does receive felony indictments.
 
Mr teX said:
easy...b/c its generally a 1-sided affair in favor of the prosecutor...hence the "indict a ham sandwich" saying & why the grand jury system in general is a flawed concept. If all you hear is 1 side where a prosecutor is going to play up every little inconsistency, how can you not be leaning in that particular direction?
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I don’t think you truly understand the purpose of the GJ
 
thunderkyss said:
I don’t think you truly understand the purpose of the GJ
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I understand it just fine.. "purpose" went out the window a long time ago with GJ's when "the community" stopped understanding the power they have on them & instead just started doing basically what the prosecutors spent hours/days asking them for...which is why its so easy for prosecutors to get them. & that's if the prosecutor actually follows what the GJ asks him/her to do.
 
How many indictments are there where charges ultimately don't stick? Even if he gets indicted they have to make a case and win. There are so many more steps involved in this process unless he gets no-billed on Friday. If they don't come back with charges, I wonder if he will aggressively pursue some sort of settlement so he can move on with his football career.
 
amazing80 said:
How many indictments are there where charges ultimately don't stick? Even if he gets indicted they have to make a case and win. There are so many more steps involved in this process unless he gets no-billed on Friday. If they don't come back with charges, I wonder if he will aggressively pursue some sort of settlement so he can move on with his football career.
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Better than 95% of indictments end in a conviction.


Am I saying there's a chance ? .... Sure, if that's how you want to interpret the data.
 
amazing80 said:
How many indictments are there where charges ultimately don't stick? Even if he gets indicted they have to make a case and win. There are so many more steps involved in this process unless he gets no-billed on Friday. If they don't come back with charges, I wonder if he will aggressively pursue some sort of settlement so he can move on with his football career.
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He is not going to be anythinged on Friday. Friday is the DA's initial presentation to the Grand Jury.
 
Mr teX said:
I understand it just fine.. "purpose" went out the window a long time ago with GJ's when "the community" stopped understanding the power they have on them & instead just started doing basically what the prosecutors spent hours/days asking them for...which is why its so easy for prosecutors to get them. & that's if the prosecutor actually follows what the GJ asks him/her to do.
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No you clearly don’t understand the purpose. A GJ isn’t there to convict or be fair or any of the other things you seem to think they are. They are there basically to just give the DA a test group to see if there is enough evidence, and strong enough evidence, to see if seeking a conviction is even worth it.

Think of it like a focus group for a new tv show or movie. Just because the focus group likes it doesn’t mean it will be a hit just that it’s good enough to put on TV or in theaters. If the focus group, however, completely hates it then either you need to rewrite or cancel the whole thing. That’s what a GJ is for the DA, a focus group.

The reason they say a GJ would indict a ham sandwich is because by the time it gets to that point the investigation is done and the DA has already seen the evidence. If there was not enough evidence collected then the DA would kill the case there. So if it goes to a GJ there is almost always enough evidence to at least take it to trial. Doesn’t mean you will get a conviction it just means you have a leg to stand on.

There was no “power” given up as despite the name a GJ has almost nothing in common with a real jury. For starters the defense isn’t even there and has no say over who is picked for it. Realistically GJ have no power just like a focus group has no real power.
 
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maverick512000 said:
No you clearly don’t understand the purpose. A GJ isn’t there to convict or be fair or any of the other things you seem to think they are. They are there basically to just give the DA a test group to see if there is enough evidence, and strong enough evidence, to see if seeking a conviction is even worth it.

Think of it like a focus group for a new tv show or movie. Just because the focus group likes it doesn’t mean it will be a hit just that it’s good enough to put on TV or in theaters. If the focus group, however, completely hates it then either you need to rewrite or cancel the whole thing. That’s what a GJ is for the DA, a focus group.

The reason they say a GJ would indict a ham sandwich is because by the time it gets to that point the investigation is done and the DA has already seen the evidence. If there was not enough evidence collected then the DA would kill the case there. So if it goes to a GJ there is almost always enough evidence to at least take it to trial. Doesn’t mean you will get a conviction it just means you have a leg to stand on.

There was no “power” given up as despite the name a GJ has almost nothing in common with a real jury. For starters the defense isn’t even there and has no say over who is picked for it. Realistically GJ have no power just like a focus group has no real power.
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the over dependence on prosecutors & the conflicting roles of prosecutors and GJ’s has long been a criticism of grand juries dude. We understand what “the purpose” of them is supposed to be, but over the years it has strayed further and further away from that original purpose in favor of over zealous, over reaching prosecutors..who aren’t supposed to be crafting arguments and innuendos….but whose there to stop them? & That distance from its original purpose to what it is now has only widened over the years with the media and social media sensationalism.

so indicting a “ham sandwich” is to imply that you don’t need much in the way of evidence to get an indictment out of a GJ..which is an indication in and of itself of how jacked up the process is…not b/c you have an airtight case or even substantial “probable cause”. Anyone whose ever been pulled over for “probable cause” knows that crap is a joke anyway. You peruse Twitter and come up with probable cause to accuse just about everyone of something.

Like a “real” jury, a grand jury is supposed to be impartial and/or fair. That is to say in how they take in the evidence being presented ……..albeit by 1 side. That is also to say the prosecutor isn’t hell bent on trying to make something happen. The power rests with the people tho...or is supposed to anyway considering GJ subpoena privileges are far reaching so as to explore all the evidence..not just what the prosecutor wants you to see.

Yet even if a GJ says to indict, a prosecutor can decline. Why? basically b/c he wants to. So what then was the purpose of a GJ? It’s stupid as hell that you’re putting the power to decide whether there’s probable cause, yet the prosecutor can overrule that if he so chooses to.
 
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maverick512000 said:
The reason they say a GJ would indict a ham sandwich is because by the time it gets to that point the investigation is done and the DA has already seen the evidence. If there was not enough evidence collected then the DA would kill the case there. So if it goes to a GJ there is almost always enough evidence to at least take it to trial. Doesn’t mean you will get a conviction it just means you have a leg to stand on.

There was no “power” given up as despite the name a GJ has almost nothing in common with a real jury. For starters the defense isn’t even there and has no say over who is picked for it. Realistically GJ have no power just like a focus group has no real power.
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Excellent overall post!!

Here is exactly what I was saying in this previous post:

CloakNNNdagger said:
No doubt, poor wording. The PROSECUTOR has determined that the case be presented to the grand jury and therefore feels that there is a significant chance for indictment. With weak evidence, after the prosecutor has gathered the information, it is not uncommon that he chooses not to even present the case to the grand jury, and the case dies. Obviously, this is not the case with Watson.
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steelbtexan said:
I guess DJohn shouldn't be allowed to do his thing in your eyes.

He brings balance to the conversation. IMHO.
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His thing lately has also involved a lot of attacks on others because they at any point consider anything remotely like the idea of Watson not getting convicted. The argument that I have made against the “don’t judge him guilty” mindset also applies to the “he is guilty as sin” mindset.

No one here on this forum has any power to decide the outcome one way or another so ultimately it doesn’t matter what we say.

If a person wants to say Watson is guilty and is headed for hard time then it doesn’t matter because he’s not going to get convicted based on a football forum post. By vice versa though if a person wants to talk about the trade haul we could get for Watson again that’s fine because he’s not going to be released based on that either.
 
maverick512000 said:
His thing lately has also involved a lot of attacks on others because they at any point consider anything remotely like the idea of Watson not getting convicted. The argument that I have made against the “don’t judge him guilty” mindset also applies to the “he is guilty as sin” mindset.

No one here on this forum has any power to decide the outcome one way or another so ultimately it doesn’t matter what we say.

If a person wants to say Watson is guilty and is headed for hard time then it doesn’t matter because he’s not going to get convicted based on a football forum post. By vice versa though if a person wants to talk about the trade haul we could get for Watson again that’s fine because he’s not going to be released based on that either.
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Lately you should check my posts and compare them to other members on this forum. You’d find the opposite to be true.
 
OptimisticTexan said:
The way I view the GJ….we’ll finally get to see the Buzbee cards on the table.
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Not in this, Buzbee has zero to do with the GJ or the criminal case. It will all be about the DA vs Hardin. You won’t see Buzbee's hand unless it goes to court in the civil case. Also remember the hand Buzbee needs to win in civil doesn’t have to be the same hand the DA needs. The DA has to prove the law was broken, all Buzbee has to prove is Watson did something to his clients that they deserve to be paid for.
 
Texansballer74 said:
A bidding war is not going to happen until this his crap is settled. But those women are more important than him or this team. What happened to morals, standards and principles?
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What happened to innocent until proven guilty? And get off your soap box. It's too high, might cause nosebleed. And yeah, if you're going to openly question my character, I'm going to fire back.
 
banned1976 said:
What happened to innocent until proven guilty? And get off your soap box. It's too high, might cause nosebleed. And yeah, if you're going to openly question my character, I'm going to fire back.
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Hearsay dude. You can’t actually prove anything in this type of situation. But you can say 20+ women. Something is not right. Again what if it was your daughter or wife? What the heck would you say or do?
And you started the soap box, so how about you climb down from your high horse.
Mods can you please move this to the right thread. Thanks in advance
 
Lucky said:
Let's not get to much into the courtroom stuff in this thread. That's for the other thread.
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What happens in that courtroom has a massive impact on where we go from here.

If they indict him, the Texans probably get nothing aside from out of his contract and cap space.

If they no bill him, the Texans stand to gain a huge haul of draft compensation and cap space beyond this year.


Either way, its franchise altering and rests on the decision that's made inside that courtroom.
 
Corrosion said:
What happens in that courtroom has a massive impact on where we go from here.

If they indict him, the Texans probably get nothing aside from out of his contract and cap space.

If they no bill him, the Texans stand to gain a huge haul of draft compensation and cap space beyond this year.


Either way, its franchise altering and rests on the decision that's made inside that courtroom.
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I think it's going to take a few days for the GJ to listen to the evidence and hear witness testimony. We probably will know something by the end of next week. March 16th is the opening of the league yr. It would be nice to know something by then.
 
steelbtexan said:
I think it's going to take a few days for the GJ to listen to the evidence and hear witness testimony. We probably will know something by the end of next week. March 16th is the opening of the league yr. It would be nice to know something by then.
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I think it's likely we know which way this thing is headed between the end of business "today" and the end of next week .... we'll get some kind of closure on the legal aspect - Indictment or no bill - and know if we can bother with the football aspect.

Its early enough in the league year that it leaves you with pre & post June 1 trade & release options ....
 
banned1976 said:
What happened to innocent until proven guilty? And get off your soap box. It's too high, might cause nosebleed. And yeah, if you're going to openly question my character, I'm going to fire back.
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Texansballer74 said:
Hearsay dude. You can’t actually prove anything in this type of situation. But you can say 20+ women. Something is not right. Again what if it was your daughter or wife? What the heck would you say or do?
And you started the soap box, so how about you climb down from your high horse.
Mods can you please move this to the right thread. Thanks in advance
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There is no right thread for you two to go at each other ... try and play nice.
 
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