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Former NFL star Stefon Diggs has been found not guilty following a closely watched assault and strangulation trial involving his former live-in personal chef, Jamila “Mila” Adams.
Image Credit: Enterprise News (Stefon Diggs)
The case, which unfolded in Massachusetts over two days, centred around allegations that Diggs assaulted Adams during an argument inside his home in December 2025. Prosecutors accused the former New England Patriots receiver of slapping and choking Adams during a dispute allegedly connected to unpaid wages and personal tensions between the pair.
However, after hearing testimony from both sides, the jury returned a not guilty verdict on all charges after less than two hours of deliberation.
WHAT THE ACCUSER CLAIMED IN COURT
During emotional testimony, Adams told the court she had been working as Diggs’ private chef while also living at his Massachusetts property. She alleged the situation between them became complicated over time, admitting under oath that their relationship had previously become sexual before she officially began working for him professionally.
Image Credit: Courthouse News (Jamila “Mila” Adams)
According to Adams, tensions escalated after she became upset about not being included on a trip to Miami for Art Basel. She claimed Diggs later entered her room angrily following an exchange of messages and allegedly slapped, choked and pulled her hair during the confrontation.
She also told jurors she believed she had not been properly paid after her employment ended, claiming she had gone weeks without receiving money she was owed.
DEFENCE CHALLENGED HER CREDIBILITY
But throughout the trial, Diggs’ legal team aggressively challenged Adams’ version of events.
One of the key moments in court came when defence lawyers disputed her claims surrounding unpaid wages. Adams had suggested she went unpaid for roughly three weeks, but defence attorneys reportedly presented records showing she had in fact been paid for most of that period. According to testimony presented during cross-examination, the only week she had not been paid was reportedly the week Diggs informed her that he no longer required her services.
The defence also questioned inconsistencies in her timeline and behaviour following the alleged incident.
Jurors were shown testimony and evidence suggesting Adams appeared calm and uninjured shortly after the alleged assault. One witness testified that Adams was seen laughing, dancing and socialising days later at a colleague’s apartment, which the defence argued contradicted claims of severe trauma.
Diggs’ lawyers additionally raised questions about an alleged $5.5 million settlement demand reportedly made before trial, though Adams avoided directly answering questions about it during cross-examination, citing attorney-client privilege.
THE RELATIONSHIP BECAME A MAJOR PART OF THE CASE
Another major aspect of the trial was the personal relationship between Adams and Diggs.
During testimony, Adams acknowledged that the two were not strictly employer and employee. She admitted they had previously been romantically and sexually involved before things later became complicated professionally.
The prosecution argued that the blurred lines between personal feelings, employment and financial dependency made the situation emotionally complicated. Meanwhile, the defence maintained the accusations were driven by resentment after the working relationship ended.
DIGGS MAINTAINED HIS INNOCENCE THROUGHOUT
Diggs consistently denied the allegations from the moment charges were filed, with his legal team describing the accusations as false and unsupported by credible evidence.
In the end, jurors sided with the defence, acquitting the NFL player of both felony strangulation and assault charges.
The verdict now closes one of the most talked-about athlete court cases of recent months — a case that sparked intense debate online due to the personal relationship between both parties, the inconsistencies raised during testimony, and the wider conversations surrounding celebrity accusations and public opinion.
References: AP NEWS, NEW YORK POST, ESPN.com, INSTAGRAM, WIKIPEDIA
By Onome Destiny
