Veteran NFL Wide Receiver Stefon Diggs Found Not Guilty On Assault, Strangulation Charges
The courtroom isn’t the gridiron, but for an NFL veteran staring down felony charges, the stakes are arguably much higher. For former New England Patriots Wide Receiver Stefon Diggs, a high-stakes legal battle has officially come to a close.
On Tuesday, a jury in Dedham, Massachusetts, needed less than two hours of deliberation to deliver a resounding verdict: not guilty. Diggs was cleared of both a felony strangulation charge and a misdemeanor assault and battery charge stemming from a December dispute with his former live-in personal chef, Jamila “Mila” Adams.
When the verdict was read, the usually stoic receiver finally let his guard down. Wiping away tears, Diggs showed the raw, human emotion of a man who just had the weight of the world—and a potentially career-ending prison sentence—lifted off his shoulders.
Diggs Acquitted Of All Charges After Swift Deliberation
The trial itself was a whirlwind of conflicting accounts, dramatic cross-examinations, and questions about money, power, and leverage. The case centered around a December 2 encounter at the home of Diggs. Adams claimed that the 32-year-old receiver slapped and choked her during a heated argument over unpaid wages and relationship tensions.
Assistant District Attorney Drew Virtue urged the jury to listen to Adams, painting a picture of an imbalanced power dynamic. He reminded the court that he wasn’t just an athlete; he was a celebrity and a landlord with deep pockets, making Adams’ post-incident behavior understandable.
The Allegations Against Stefon Diggs
Adams, who met Diggs on social media in 2022, described a “complicated” relationship that blurred the lines between employee and romantic partner. She testified that the argument escalated when Diggs struck her with an open hand and restricted her breathing.
However, the defense came out swinging. They didn’t just question Adams’ sequence of events; they completely dismantled her credibility. Defense attorney Andrew Kettlewell flat-out told the jury that the prosecution failed to present “a single shred of credible evidence.”
Defense Claims and Witness Testimony
If this trial were a football game, the defense’s game plan was a masterclass in exploiting weaknesses. Diggs’ legal team pointed to massive financial demands made by Adams after she was sent home. What allegedly started as a $19,000 demand eventually ballooned to a staggering $5.5 million.
Furthermore, multiple witnesses, including Diggs’ chief of staff, his massage therapist, and a hairstylist who spent time with Adams in New York right after the alleged incident, testified that Adams showed absolutely no visible injuries. No marks, no redness, no swelling. According to Mitchell Schuster, another member of Diggs’ defense team, the case was nothing more than an opportunistic cash grab aimed at an athlete the moment he stepped off the field.
NFL Career and Future Prospects For Diggs
So, what happens next for the 11-year NFL veteran? He caught 85 passes for 1,013 yards last season before being released by the Patriots in March in a cap-saving move. He remains a free agent.
While Diggs has been cleared in the eyes of the law, the NFL operates under its own playbook. The league has been monitoring the situation, and Diggs could still technically face discipline under the NFL’s personal conduct policy. However, with a swift not-guilty verdict and a defense that successfully painted the accusations as an extortion attempt, teams will likely start kicking the tires on the veteran pass-catcher.
For now, Diggs gets to breathe easy. He won the most important battle of his year. Now, he just has to wait for a front office to give him a call so he can get back to doing what he does best: catching footballs.
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