Former New England Patriots receiver Stefon Diggs was found not guilty of assaulting his personal chef, Jamila Adams. The trial featured starkly conflicting accounts, with the defense asserting the alleged assault never happened and was a dispute over money or relationship tensions, while the prosecution relied on Adams' testimony despite her being deemed a 'difficult' witness.
Former New England Patriots receiver Stefon Diggs was acquitted of assaulting his personal chef, Jamila Adams, following a trial marked by highly conflicting testimonies. Diggs' defense attorneys successfully argued that the alleged assault, which Adams claimed involved being smacked and choked after a dispute, never occurred. They challenged Adams' credibility, suggesting the accusations stemmed from escalating financial demands—initially $19,000, later $5.5 million—or relationship tensions. The defense presented testimony from Diggs' employees and friends who stated Adams showed no visible signs of injury in the days following the alleged incident and showed cellphone videos of her socializing normally. Prosecutors, however, maintained the case rested on Adams' account of what happened inside Diggs' home, describing her relationship with Diggs as 'complicated,' including being a 'sometimes lover, a boss, landlord.' Assistant District Attorney Drew Virtue acknowledged Adams was 'argumentative, avoidant, difficult' but urged jurors not to dismiss her testimony, attributing her behavior partly to the power imbalance with Diggs, a 'financially powerful' celebrity. Adams testified she was paid $2,000 weekly and felt undercompensated, and at one point claimed Diggs offered her $100,000 to recant, a remark later struck from the record. The judge also had to repeatedly instruct Adams to answer questions directly. Dedham police officer Kenneth Ellis, who took Adams' initial report, noted she was visibly upset but observed no visible injuries. Defense attorneys also highlighted that witnesses tied to Diggs' payroll, including his chief of staff, massage therapist, and hairstylist, saw Adams after the alleged incident and noticed no injuries or distress, while prosecutors countered that these witnesses had a financial interest in the outcome.
