Assault trial of former New England Patriots receiver Stefon Diggs begins

Key Points:

• The assault trial of former New England Patriots wide receiver Stefon Diggs began in Dedham, Massachusetts, with prosecutors alleging he slapped and put his private chef, Mila Adams, in a headlock during a December incident; Diggs has pleaded not guilty to felony strangulation and misdemeanor assault charges.
• Prosecutors claim Adams will testify that Diggs entered her bedroom, slapped her, and choked her, causing difficulty breathing, while Diggs' defense attorney argued that no evidence or witnesses support the assault claims and maintained that the attack never occurred.
• The defense suggested the incident stemmed from a dispute over money and Adams being excluded from a trip, emphasizing that Diggs is innocent regardless of his wealth or athlete status and urging the jury to avoid bias.
• Adams testified emotionally, describing the alleged assault and choking, though the judge instructed the jury to disregard parts of her testimony that went beyond the scope of the questions asked.
• Diggs, who signed a $69 million contract with the Patriots last year and had a strong 1,000-yard receiving season, was released by the team in March and has not yet signed with another NFL team.