Jury finds NFL player Stefon Diggs not guilty on 2 criminal counts
A Massachusetts jury has found star NFL wide receiver Stefon Diggs not guilty on two criminal charges following a trial stemming from an alleged incident involving a private chef.
On Tuesday, the panel returned verdicts of not guilty on both counts, which included strangulation or suffocation and assault and battery.
A former New England Patriots player, Diggs was arraigned on charges of strangulation on Feb. 13, just days after he appeared in the Super Bowl. Diggs was originally charged in December and pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Opening statements in the trial began on Monday in a Dedham, Massachusetts, courthouse.
In court, a personal chef Jamila Mila Adams, took the stand and testified about a physical altercation she alleges she had with Diggs on Dec. 2, in which she testified Diggs struck her and attempted to choke her, according to Boston ABC station WCVB.
According to WCVB, the jury deliberated for less than 90 minutes before reaching its verdict.
In a statement, one of Diggs' attorneys, Mitch Schuster, said: "We have taken these allegations seriously from day one and that’s exactly why we were eager for the facts to come to light through the legal process. Fame and financial success shouldn't strip someone of their presumption of innocence, but too often, it does exactly that. And unfortunately, as is the case with unfounded claims—the damage starts the moment an accusation is filed, long before any facts are examined."
The statement went on to say: "The evidence has shown what we've maintained from day one: Mr. Diggs was wrongly accused, and this case represents exactly the kind of opportunistic targeting that players can face the moment they step off the field."
According to police records obtained by ABC News, the incident stemmed from a dispute over wages the chef was requesting Diggs pay her.
The Patriots released a statement supporting Diggs in December as well.
Diggs was released by the Patriots in March, according to ESPN. The wide receiver is yet to sign with a new team for the upcoming season.
