Jury seated in ex-Patriots star Stefon Diggs’ assault trial; opening statements begin
A jury has been seated in the assault trial of former New England Patriots star wide receiver Stefon Diggs , and opening statements are underway. The seven jurors, comprising six women and one man, were selected at Dedham District Court for a trial that the judge says could last “two or three days. ” We are hearing a jury has been selected for the Stefon Diggs assault trial.
@boston25 — Bob Ward Boston 25 (@Bward3) May 4, 2026 Diggs faces charges of felony strangulation or suffocation and misdemeanor assault and battery. He has pleaded not guilty and denies allegations that he strangled his former private chef during an incident at his Dedham home on Dec. 2, 2025.
Diggs had no comment as he made his way into court. Prosecutors say the alleged altercation occurred during a dispute over unpaid wages. According to court documents, the woman told police that Diggs struck her in the face, placed her in a chokehold, and threw her onto a bed.
Boston 25 News has obtained text messages that appear to show Diggs and the woman arguing over money . During a final pretrial hearing on Friday, defense attorneys objected to the alleged victim referencing a separate prior bad act in court. While details of that alleged incident were not discussed, the defense argued it could be used to explain why the woman delayed reporting the alleged assault for two weeks.
The judge sided with the defense, ruling that any reference to a prior bad act would be excluded unless prosecutors provided additional detail or argument, citing the lack of specificity in the information presented. Diggs was not present in court for Friday’s pretrial hearing. The 32-year-old was released by the Patriots in March.