Stefon Diggs’s accuser testifies about “complicated” relationship before incident
By Aaron Parseghian, Matt Schooley
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Massachusetts (WBZ) — Stefon Diggs’ accuser, his former personal chef Mila Adams, is testifying Monday at his assault trial in Dedham, Massachusetts. The trial quickly got underway earlier in the day with jury selection and opening statements.
Judge Jeanmarie Carroll is overseeing the proceedings in Dedham District Court. Drew Virtue is the prosecutor and Andrew Kettlewell is Diggs’ defense attorney.
The former New England Patriots receiver is accused of attacking Adams last year. He’s charged with felony strangulation or suffocation and misdemeanor assault and battery in the incident at his home on December 2. He has pleaded not guilty.
Adams, who lived in Diggs’ home while working for him, walked into the Dedham police station on December 16 alleging that two weeks earlier, Diggs had smacked her across the face and choked her.
She told police they had been texting about money that she was owed when the confrontation occurred. Diggs has denied the allegations.
Personal chef Mila Adams testifies Adams was the first witness called to the stand after opening statements.
She said she known Diggs for around four years. Adams described her relationship with the NFL player as “complicated,” saying they started as friends. Adams said their relationship became sexual, then she came to work for him in February 2025.
Adams said Diggs agreed to pay her about $2,000 per week.
On December 2, Adams and Diggs were in an argument through text message, Adams said. That day she said she was lying across her bed reading a cookbook when Diggs opened the door and came in.
“He looks very angry … He was just very upset,” Adams said. “He smacked me with an open hand.”
Adams testified that Diggs used his right hand and hit her on the cheek.
While on the stand, Adams attempted to demonstrate how Diggs put his arm around her neck and choked her. She said she was unable to breathe.
There were several objections and sidebars during Adams’ testimony as she was asked about texts messages she deleted before going to the Dedham Police Department to file a report against Diggs.
Under cross-examination, Adams was asked about certain information that she did not include to police. Adams said she was concerned what would be made public, especially because at the time Diggs was dating rapper Cardi B.
“I didn’t put a lot of things. The most important thing was the attack in the police report. Me reporting anything outside of why he got upset, I didn’t feel the need to put it. I was scared out how it would be received by the public,” Adams testified. “He’s in a very public relationship with Cardi B. So I did not put a lot of things in the police report. My most important thing was him assaulting me and choking me and slapping me.”
The defense also showed videos and photos of Adams taken in the days after the alleged attack, attempting to highlight that she appeared in good spirits and had no visible injuries.
“There was no assault,” Stefon Diggs’ attorney argues Kettlewell began his opening statement earlier in the day by saying that there was no attack.
“The assault that the Commonwealth just described in their opening statement in only a few sentences never happened. Did not happen. There was no strangulation, there was no assault,” he told jurors. “There was no incident on December 2 or any other day.”
Kettlewell said the prosecution has no physical evidence, no medical records, and no photos or video to prove there was attack.
He also told the court also that in late December, Adams began demanding money. He later said she told police “a made up story.”
Stefon Diggs trial begins Earlier, Virtue gave his opening statement.
“I expect she’s going to tell you how he put her in the headlock, the difficulty she had breathing, that he threw her on the bed, and he left,” Virtue said.
The judge said she expects the trial to take two or three days for attorneys to present all of the evidence and for jurors to begin deliberating.
Carroll began Monday morning’s jury selection by asking prospective jurors a series of questions. When the judge asked if any member of the jury pool recognized the defendant, several people in the room said they did.
At the end of group questioning, jurors were called up individually to be questioned by the judge and attorneys.
The jury was seated before noon, just over two hours after the proceedings got underway. Opening statements began a short time later.
The Patriots released Diggs in March. He has not signed with another NFL team yet.
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