Patriots' Stefon Diggs Arraigned In Court For Assault And Strangulation Charges: Report

DEDHAM, MA — New England Patriots wide receiver Stefon Diggs was arraigned on Friday on strangulation and assault charges, according to a report from USA Today.

The star player pleaded not guilty to felony strangulation or suffocation along with misdemeanor assault and battery charge in Dedham District Court during his 9 a.m. hearing. Diggs was ordered by Judge Jeanmarie Carroll not to have any contact with his accuser and had a pretrial date scheduled for Wednesday, April 1 during the ordeal that lasted approximately one minute.

The charges stem from a reported occurrence on Tuesday, Dec. 2, one day after the Patriots defeated the New York Giants in a primetime matchup. The accuser made the report with Dedham Police on Dec. 16 accusing Diggs of slapping her across the face and eventually strangling her with the crook of his elbow. The woman worked as a chef for Diggs and the two got into a dispute over payment.

Diggs’ arraignment comes five days after the Patriots lost Super Bowl LX to the Seattle Seahawks by a score of 29-13. Diggs caught three passes for 37 yards in a game where the entire offense struggled throughout. His hearing was originally scheduled for Jan. 23, which would have been two days before New England’s AFC Championship game against the Denver Broncos.

Patriots defensive tackle Christian Barmore also had his arraignment in Attleboro District Court on a misdemeanor charge of assault and battery on a household member postponed from its original Feb. 3 date to Monday, March 9.

Diggs was drafted in the fifth round of the 2015 NFL Draft out of the University of Maryland by the Minnesota Vikings. He has put together a borderline-hall-of-fame career throughout the last decade playing for four organizations. In his first season with the Patriots, he had more than 1,000 receiving yards. The Maryland native is a father of six. His most recent child, whom he shares with girlfriend and rapper Cardi B, was born in November.

Read more at USA Today.