A Massachusetts jury has returned verdicts of not guilty on felony strangulation and misdemeanor assault and battery charges against free agent NFL receiver Stefon Diggs. The charges stemmed from an alleged incident in December with his former live-in personal chef, Jamila Adams. The acquittal follows a two-day trial at Dedham District Court.
The defense attorneys, in challenging Adams' account, highlighted inconsistencies and questioned her demeanor. Key to their strategy was presenting testimony from individuals in Diggs' inner circle, including his chief of staff, massage therapist, a nurse providing IV treatments, and his hairstylist. These witnesses testified that they encountered Adams in the days following the alleged incident and that she made no mention of being assaulted. Furthermore, Diggs' hairstylist, Xia Charles, testified that Adams expressed intentions to sue Diggs for back pay and a hostile work environment, rather than reporting an assault. The defense also sought to introduce evidence suggesting Adams was seeking financial gain from the situation.
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Adams had accused Diggs of entering her room and assaulting her after a dispute over payment for her services as his private chef. She claimed Diggs slapped and attempted to choke her. Diggs had denied the allegations and pleaded not guilty to the charges. The prosecution, in its closing remarks, acknowledged that Adams' testimony presented challenges for their case. Diggs' attorney, Mitch Schuster, stated that the verdict affirmed their belief that Diggs was "wrongly accused" and highlighted the vulnerability of public figures to "opportunistic targeting." Prosecutors have not yet responded to requests for comment.
