What Did Stefon Diggs Do? Charges, Trial, and Verdict

Stefon Diggs was charged in December 2025 with felony strangulation and misdemeanor assault and battery after his former live-in personal chef accused him of slapping and choking her at his home in Dedham, Massachusetts; a jury acquitted him of both charges in May 2026, and the NFL closed its own investigation the following month without any discipline.¹²³

What He Was Accused Of

The accusation came from Jamila Adams, who went by “Mila” and worked as Diggs’s live-in personal chef. She alleged that on December 2, 2025, during an argument that started over text messages, Diggs slapped her with an open hand and then wrapped his arm around her neck and choked her. Adams described her relationship with Diggs as “complicated,” saying they had previously been “friends with benefits” but were not in a romantic relationship when the alleged assault occurred.⁴

Adams did not report the incident to police until December 16, 2025, fourteen days after it allegedly happened.⁵ Diggs was not physically arrested. On December 29, 2025, the Dedham Police Department filed the criminal complaint by summons, ordering him to appear in court.¹

The Charges

The felony count was brought under Massachusetts General Laws chapter 265, section 15D, which defines strangulation as “the intentional interference of the normal breathing or circulation of blood by applying substantial pressure on the throat or neck of another.”⁶ A standard violation can carry up to five years in state prison, up to two and a half years in a house of correction, or a fine of up to $5,000. The second count, misdemeanor assault and battery, carried a lighter potential penalty.

Diggs appeared in Dedham District Court on February 13, 2026, and pleaded not guilty to both charges. He was released on personal recognizance and ordered to have no contact with Adams.⁷⁸

What Happened at Trial

The two-day trial, Commonwealth v. Stefon Diggs, concluded on May 5, 2026, in Dedham District Court, with Judge Jeanmarie Carroll presiding.⁹

The Prosecution’s Case

Adams testified that Diggs struck her with an open hand and then choked her with the crook of his elbow.⁴ Her time on the stand was difficult for the state. Judge Carroll repeatedly admonished her for nonresponsive answers and warned that her testimony could be stricken if she kept disregarding the court’s instructions. At one point Adams claimed Diggs had offered her $100,000 to recant, and the judge ordered that remark struck from the record.⁹

Assistant District Attorney Drew Virtue acknowledged in closing that Adams had been “argumentative, avoidant, difficult” on the stand, but urged the jury not to discard her account on that basis.¹⁰ Prosecutors also argued that defense witnesses had a financial interest in Diggs’s acquittal because their livelihoods were tied to him.⁴

The Defense Case

Diggs’s attorneys argued that no assault ever occurred and that Adams had fabricated the allegation to extract money from him. Several strands of evidence shaped that argument.

Dedham police officer Kenneth Ellis, who took the initial report, testified that he observed no visible injuries on Adams, did not photograph her, and did not interview other potential witnesses at the scene.⁴
Multiple people who worked for Diggs, including his chief of staff, a massage therapist, a nurse, and a hairstylist, testified they interacted with Adams in the days after the alleged incident and saw no injuries, redness, swelling, or signs of distress.⁹
The defense played cellphone videos of Adams socializing, dancing, and listening to music in the days after the alleged choking.¹¹
Adams had been paid roughly $2,000 per week as a live-in chef, but her financial demands grew from an initial $19,000 to a $5.5 million claim made through her attorney. A financial planner who worked with Diggs testified that Adams had submitted incorrect invoices and had been overpaid by about $2,500.²¹¹
The defense pointed to deleted text messages from Adams, including one reading “ruining that b—- life” with an emoji, which they argued showed the conflict was driven by jealousy over another woman rather than any physical altercation.¹¹

In closing, defense attorney Andrew Kettlewell told jurors that “the evidence points to one answer and one answer alone — that Ms. Adams made this accusation as a means to leverage and humiliate and punish Stefon Diggs.”¹²

The Verdict

On May 5, 2026, the jury found Diggs not guilty on both counts after less than 90 minutes of deliberation.² Lead defense attorney Mitchell Schuster said the case “never should have been brought” and called it “a waste of resources.” He said professional athletes carry “a target on their back” and that “when someone sees a uniform and a contract, they see leverage; they see a settlement.”¹² A lawyer for Adams conceded that his client had not been “a perfect witness.”¹³

The NFL’s Separate Review

The NFL’s personal conduct policy applies a lower evidentiary standard than the “beyond a reasonable doubt” criminal threshold, so an acquittal did not automatically end the league’s review. On June 12, 2026, the NFL closed its investigation and informed Diggs he would not face suspension or discipline, stating there was “insufficient evidence to support a finding of a personal conduct policy violation.” The league noted that it lacked subpoena power to compel testimony from Adams, who is not an NFL employee.³

What It Meant for His Career

The charges hit during a pivotal stretch with the New England Patriots, who had signed Diggs in March 2025 to a three-year, $69 million contract.¹⁴¹⁵¹⁶

On March 4, 2026, before the trial began, the Patriots informed Diggs he would be released. Reports described the decision as “purely financially motivated,” aimed at avoiding a salary cap charge set to jump from $10.5 million to $26.5 million, along with an additional $6 million in guarantees about to vest.¹⁷ He was officially released on March 11, 2026.¹⁸ As of mid-June 2026, he remained unsigned and had been linked to the Washington Commanders, Kansas City Chiefs, and Los Angeles Rams.¹⁹

1
Enterprise News. Patriots Stefon Diggs Arrest Assault Strangulation Charge Chef Arraignment
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Court TV. Jury Finds Stefon Diggs Not Guilty of Criminal Charges After Trial
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NBC Sports. NFL Closes Personal Conduct Policy Investigation of Stefon Diggs
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ABC7. Stefon Diggs Found Not Guilty in Trial Involving Chef Jamila Adams
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NBC Boston. Stefon Diggs Trial Live Stream Updates
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FindLaw. MA Gen Laws Ch. 265 Sect. 15D
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CBS News Boston. Stefon Diggs Arraignment New England Patriots
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Court TV. Patriots Stefon Diggs Arraigned and Denies Assault Allegation
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ESPN. Chef Shies From Financial Questions at Stefon Diggs Assault Trial
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WBUR. Former Patriots Receiver Stefon Diggs Found Not Guilty of Assault of Chef
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NBC Boston. Stefon Diggs Trial Live Stream Updates Testimony Day 2
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Enterprise News. Stefon Diggs Trial Jury Selection Starts
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BBC News. Stefon Diggs Found Not Guilty
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NFL.com. Patriots Signing WR Stefon Diggs to Three-Year $69 Million Deal
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NFL.com. Patriots Stefon Diggs Pleads Not Guilty to Assault Allegation
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ESPN. Source: Patriots Release WR Stefon Diggs After One Season
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NFL.com. Stefon Diggs Patriots Release WR One Season
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NFL.com. Stefon Diggs Player Page
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USA Today. Stefon Diggs Suspension NFL Wide Receiver