Jury selection has begun for NFL wide receiver Stefon Diggs, who faces assault charges related to a paycheck dispute with a private chef. Diggs pleaded not guilty, and the trial is expected to last two to three days.
Key points
Jury selection for Stefon Diggs trial begins on May 4.
Diggs pleaded not guilty to assault charges.
The alleged incident involved a paycheck dispute with a private chef.
Prosecutors said they plan to call two witnesses, the chef and a police officer. The defense said it will call people who were inside the house at the time of the alleged assault. The case is expected to last two to three days, according the judge ahead of the jury selection process.
It's not clear how long it will take to seat the jury.
In March, the Patriots released Diggs, according to multiple reports. Diggs appeared to confirm this writing: "THANK YOU for a hell of a year," in an Instagram story. "We family forever." Diggs was scheduled to count $26.5 million against the Patriots’ 2026 salary cap. Releasing him saves the team $16.8 million in cap space, though it will pay $9.7 million in dead money.
The Enterprise will be reporting from Dedham District Court. Follow along for updates.
NFL wide receiver Stefon Diggs arrives at the Dedham District Court in Massachusetts ahead of jury selection on May 4, 2026.
NFL wide receiver Stefon Diggs arrives at the Dedham District Court in Massachusetts ahead of jury selection on May 4, 2026.
What charges is Diggs facing in court
The 32-year-old is charged with felony charge of strangulation or suffocation, along with misdemeanor assault and battery and was released on personal recognizance.
Stefon Diggs is facing assault charges stemming from an alleged incident with a private chef over a paycheck dispute.
How long is the trial for Stefon Diggs expected to last?
The trial is expected to last two to three days, according to the judge.
What was the reason for Stefon Diggs' release from the Patriots?
Stefon Diggs was released from the Patriots to save $16.8 million in salary cap space, despite incurring $9.7 million in dead money.
Who are the witnesses in the Stefon Diggs trial?
Prosecutors plan to call a private chef and a police officer as witnesses, while the defense will call individuals who were present during the alleged incident.
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This was Diggs' first court appearance since the charges were filed against him.
His arraignment in February lasted less than five minutes and no additional information about the allegations was discussed. Diggs’ left immediately after and did not comment on the case.
What has Stefon Diggs' lawyer said
After the arraignment, which took only minutes, Diggs' attorney Mitchell Schuster, stopped to briefly address the media, claiming the facts and evidence would “paint a very different picture” of the allegations but he did not specify what information he was referring to.
“He is completely innocent of these false allegations,” Schuster said on the steps outside the courthouse. “We are confident that when all the facts and evidence are reviewed, he will be fully exonerated," he said. "I'd be shocked if this case goes to trial."
Diggs has denied the charges. "They are unsubstantiated, uncorroborated, and were never investigated — because they did not occur," Diggs' lawyer David E. Meier said in a statement. "The timing and motivation for making the allegations is crystal clear: they are the direct result of an employee-employer financial dispute that was not resolved to the employee's satisfaction. Stefon looks forward to establishing the truth in a court of law."
What to know about Dedham District Court
The court serves Dedham, Dover, Medfield, Needham, Norwood, Wellesley, and Westwood.
Did Stefon Diggs get arrested?
Diggs was summons to court for the arraignment. Police did not arrest him in connection with these charges and he has not spent time in jail.
What Stefon Diggs' private chef says happened
The victim, who had been working for Diggs as a private chef, walked into the Dedham police station on Dec. 16, and although at first hesitant to reveal Diggs' identity, told police that Diggs became physically violent during an altercation over one month's pay that she said he owed her, according to the police report included in court records.
She told police he "smacked her across the face" and "tried to choke her using the crook of his elbow around her neck," the report said. He then allegedly threw her on the bed and said something to the effect of "thought so."
The chef, who had been hired July 20 and was supposed to work through the end of the NFL season, reportedly left her position after the incident.
Will Stefon Diggs go to jail?
Diggs' attorney Michael DiStefano also revealed that Diggs and the alleged victim are currently in discussion to resolve the dispute with a financial offer, during a hearing on Dec. 30, 2025.
If Diggs' financial offer to the alleged victim is not accepted, there is a chance the Patriot player would face jail time if found guilty of the charges, both misdemeanor and felony, depending on how the case plays out in court.
In Massachusetts, a misdemeanor sentence can include probation or incarceration in the house of correction, while a felony sentence can be punished by a state prison sentence up to and including life in prison, according to Serpa Law Office.
Stefon Diggs's time with the Patriots
Diggs has been in the NFL for 11 years, but was only with the one season with the Patriots. He has played for the Houston Texans, the Buffalo Bills and the Minnesota Vikings.
This year, he ran for 1,013 years and had 85 receptions and scored four touchdowns.
“Oh (expletive). Unless they opt out of the contract,” Diggs told reporters on Feb. 8. “I anticipate being here, so I hope so. Love my guys. I had a hell of a year playing with them. Built some real family-like bond, so I hope so, I don’t control it though.”
What the New England Patriots and NFL have said
On a Dec. 30 statement was released by the Patriots: "The New England Patriots are aware of the accusations that have been made regarding Stefon Diggs. Stefon has informed the organization that he categorically denies the allegations. We support Stefon," the statement reads. "We will continue to gather information and will cooperate fully with the appropriate authorities and the NFL as necessary."
The NFL has said that it's aware of the situation. "We are aware of the matter and have been in contact with the club," the league said in a statement. "We have no further comment at this time."
"Congratulations @iamcardib & @stefondiggs on welcoming the newest @patriots fan into the world," the NFL wrote on Instagram after the birth announcement.
Shortly after the Super Bowl ended on Sunday, Feb. 8, rumors starting swirling online that the couple broke up, with fans noticing that the couple unfollowed each other on Instagram and that she was not in the stands for the second half of the Super Bowl.
