A Massachusetts jury delivered a swift verdict Tuesday — clearing the veteran wide receiver of felony strangulation and misdemeanor assault charges brought by his former live-in chef.

~90

MINUTES TO ACQUIT

2

DAYS OF TRIAL

5 yrs

MAX PRISON EXPOSURE

They called it a money dispute dressed up as a crime. On Tuesday afternoon, a Norfolk County jury agreed.

Stefon Diggs — one of the most accomplished wide receivers of his generation — stood before Dedham District Court as the foreperson delivered the words his defense team had fought for since December: not guilty on both counts. Felony strangulation. Misdemeanor assault and battery. Gone. The moment the verdict landed, tears streamed down Diggs' face.

The case had hung over the 33-year-old's career like a storm cloud for five months. His former live-in personal chef, Jamila "Mila" Adams, had accused him of entering her bedroom on December 2, 2025, slapping her across the face, and trying to choke her with his elbow after an argument over money he allegedly owed her. She filed her report 14 days after the purported incident. Diggs denied everything from day one.

OFFICIAL VERDICT — DEDHAM DISTRICT COURT

NOT GUILTY

Felony strangulation  |  Misdemeanor assault & battery

The prosecution faced an uphill battle from the start. Adams proved a volatile witness on the stand — admonished repeatedly by the judge for deflecting defense questions, and confronted with a damning detail she couldn't explain away: she had given Diggs a birthday gift less than 24 hours after the alleged violent attack. Friends and employees who testified said they had seen no injuries on her afterward. Deleted text messages on her phone added another layer of suspicion the state could not clear.

Even the prosecutor, Norfolk Assistant District Attorney Drew Virtue, effectively conceded the credibility problem during closing arguments. He acknowledged that Adams was "argumentative, avoidant, difficult" — then implored the jury not to throw out her entire account. They did anyway, in under two hours.

"Professional athletes have a target on their back. When someone sees a uniform and a contract, they see leverage — they see a settlement."

— MITCH SCHUSTER, ATTORNEY FOR STEFON DIGGS

Diggs' lead attorney, Mitch Schuster, did not hold back after the verdict. He framed the case as something larger than one man's legal battle — a warning shot about the vulnerability of high-profile athletes to opportunistic accusations. "Fame and financial success shouldn't strip someone of their presumption of innocence," Schuster told reporters. "But too often, it does exactly that. The damage starts the moment an accusation is filed, long before any facts are examined."

It is a reality that played out in real time here. Diggs was released by the New England Patriots in March — despite hauling in 85 catches for 1,013 yards and four touchdowns, helping carry the franchise to Super Bowl LX. The team freed up $16.8 million in cap space and cut ties while his legal fate was still undecided. He remains an unsigned free agent entering what would be his 12th NFL season.

Now, the handcuffs are off — figuratively. "Any team that signs him will be lucky to have him," Schuster told the press. Diggs, who has cleared 1,000 receiving yards in six different seasons and is widely regarded as one of the league's elite route runners, will immediately become one of the most sought-after names in free agency. The market resets the moment the verdict dropped.

The defense argued throughout that the roots of this case were financial — a dispute over unpaid wages twisted into criminal allegations when a settlement wasn't forthcoming. The jury, deliberating for just 86 minutes, seemed to find that version of events far more plausible than what the prosecution put forward.

Stefon Diggs walked out of Dedham District Court a free man Tuesday. The legal chapter is closed. The football chapter — still very much open.

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