WALDRON GRAIN & FUEL

05/05 13:16 CDT Chef declines to answer money questions in assault trial of former Patriots player Diggs Chef declines to answer money questions in assault trial of former Patriots player Diggs By LEAH WILLINGHAM Associated Press BOSTON (AP) --- A woman who worked as a live-in personal chef for former New England Patriots receiver Stefon Diggs declined to answer questions Tuesday about financial demands made on her behalf, as defense attorneys pressed her over claims she was owed money and inconsistencies in what she said she was paid. Both sides finished calling and cross-examining witnesses just about a day after the assault trial began, as Jamila "Mila" Adams became emotional on the stand describing an alleged encounter with Diggs on Dec. 2 in which she said he entered her room following an argument over text. Adams, who said she lived in the NFL star's home and prepared all of his meals, testified that Diggs "smacked me with an open hand" before wrapping his arm around her neck and choking her, leaving her struggling to breathe. She described what she called a "complicated" relationship, saying it had previously been sexual but was not at the time of the alleged assault. A Dedham police officer who took her initial report testified that Adams was visibly upset when she arrived at the station, telling jurors she "sat down on the bench and she was crying." Diggs has pleaded not guilty to a felony strangulation charge and a misdemeanor assault and battery charge stemming from a December incident at his home. Closing arguments are expected to begin later Tuesday.

Money vs. motive Adams said she met Diggs in 2022 on Instagram and that the two became friends --- at times "friends with benefits," as one of his attorneys described it --- before she was later hired to live in his home and prepare his meals during the football season. The case has turned in part on whether the dispute between them was primarily about money or an alleged assault. Defense attorneys have argued Adams was motivated by a financial dispute, pointing to demands for payment and a planned trip to Miami, while Adams has maintained she was reporting an assault. Defense attorneys pressed Adams about money she said she was owed after working as a live-in chef. She testified she was paid about $2,000 a week and believed she had not been fully compensated after being sent home. They pointed to a $19,000 demand and said the amount increased over time, with her attorney later seeking $5.5 million. When asked about the $5.5 million claim, Adams said, "I can't speak on that," and at other points told jurors, "I don't understand the question" and "I don't know how to answer the question." At one point, Adams said Diggs had offered her $100,000 to recant her statement to the police, but that remark was struck from the record after the judge called the attorneys to a sidebar. At times during her second day on the stand, Adams was instructed by the judge to answer questions directly and not include additional details beyond what was asked. Portions of her responses were struck from the record as nonresponsive, with jurors told to disregard them. "This is not an opportunity for you to interject your own narrative and evade answering questions," Judge Jeanmarie Carroll told her at one point, warning that continued nonresponsive answers could result in her testimony being stricken.

Witnesses describe accuser's appearance after alleged attack Kenneth Ellis, the Dedham police officer who took Adams' initial report, testified that she arrived at the station visibly upset, telling jurors she "sat down on the bench and she was crying." He said Adams initially asked to speak with a female officer before later agreeing to give a statement and identifying Diggs as the person involved. Under cross-examination, Ellis said he did not observe visible injuries, collect photographs or speak with other witnesses, and that his investigation relied largely on Adams' account and text messages she provided. Defense attorneys also sought to challenge Adams' account through testimony from people in Diggs' orbit and evidence they said reflected her demeanor in the days after the alleged incident. His chief of staff, massage therapist, a nurse who provided IV treatments and his hairstylist all testified that they saw her around the time of the attack and that she said nothing about being assaulted. His hairstylist, Xia Charles, testified that she spent time with Adams in New York in the days after the alleged incident and did not notice any injuries. She said Adams appeared normal and that she did not see marks on her neck or elsewhere. Defense attorneys also showed jurors cellphone videos of Adams socializing, including clips of her in a car listening to music and dancing, which they suggested showed her demeanor in the days following the incident. Jeanelle Sales, Diggs' chief of staff, who also goes by "Sunni," testified she saw Adams at the home on the day she alleged she was assaulted and did not see visible marks, redness or swelling on her neck or face. She said Adams appeared to be in normal spirits. "She was walking around looking for a piece of paper and a pen to write a card --- I guess, write a note to him for his birthday gift," Sales said. Prosecutors pushed back on that testimony, suggesting the witnesses' livelihoods were tied to Diggs and that they had a financial interest in the outcome of the case.