Jonathan Majors’ lawyers speak out after guilty verdict in assault trial

The striking similarities between Depp v Heard and the Jonathan Majors trial

On 18 December, Mr Majors was convicted on two counts — one count of assault in the third degree and one count of harassment in the second degree.

The case hinged on a March 2023 incident. Grace Jabbari, Mr Majors’ then-girlfriend, reportedly discovered texts sent to Mr Majors from another woman. An argument ensued, which culminated in the alleged assault in the back of a private car in New York City. The dancer informed police that she had been assaulted by her then-boyfriend and went to the hospital; he was later arrested and charged.

Throughout the trial, social media users repeatedly insisted that Mr Majors is innocent; there was even a hashtag called #FreeJonathanMajors under which users posted their support for the actor.

The question of guilt was ultimately up to the jury. In the court of social media public opinion, however, evidence and due process don’t seem to matter, as opinions on the case seemed to be made well before the trial was even finished.

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Manhattan DA’s statement following verdict

Jonathan Majors dropped by Marvel following guilty verdict in ex-girlfriend assault case

Jonathan Majors has been dropped by Marvel Studios after a New York City jury found him guilty of assaulting his ex-girlfriend, The Independent understands.

Majors debuted his role as Kang the Conqueror, the next major villain in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, earlier this year in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania.

The jury found the Marvel star, 34, guilty of one count of third-degree assault and one count of harassment, but acquitted him of another count of assault and one aggravated harassment count.

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Jonathan Majors leaving the courtroom after verdict announced

What will happen to Majors’ career after assault conviction?

Jonathan Majors was found guilty of assaulting his former girlfriend Grace Jabbari on Monday (18 December), following a 10-day trial in New York City.

The jury found the Marvel star, 34, guilty of one count of third-degree assault and one count of harassment, but acquitted him of another count of assault and one aggravated harassment count.

Majors was arrested in March in New York after Jabbari accused him of slapping her and throwing her into the car after she exited it, twisting her arm and grabbing and injuring her hand. Majors has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing and pleaded not guilty on all four charges.

With the verdict now delivered, Majors faces sentencing on 6 February and could be handed a jail sentence of one year, according to reports.

Many people are now wondering what this means for the star’s acting career, which has been on hold since his arrest earlier this year.

Majors was on a stratospheric trajectory before the trial, recently earning rave reviews for his turn as Marvel’s major new villain Kang following his debut in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania.

Who is Grace Jabbari?

Grace Jabbari is a 30-year-old British dancer and the ex-girlfriend of Jonathan Majors. The pair dated for two years.

As a dancer, she has appeared in movies like Barbie, Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning Part One and Coldplay’s “Cry Cry Cry” music video, according to IMDB.

On the stand, Ms Jabbari told jurors that her romance with Mr Majors began in August 2021 after meeting on the set of Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. She was working as a movement director while Mr Majors starred as the movie’s villain.

She said that his hair stylist “slipped me this piece of paper, so I opened it up and it was his number.” Then Majors returned to her side asking: “Am I going to see you later?”

Ms Jabbari testified that their relationship moved “fast.” She added that he wrote her poetry and “he told me that he loved me early on, which was overwhelming, but I loved it as well.”

But by December, she noticed a shift. She mentioned her ex, which she said prompted her boyfriend to yell, she said: “It was the first time I felt scared of him.”

Throughout the trial, numerous other incidents came to light aside from the one Mr Majors is on trial for, which a prosecutor called a “manipulative pattern” of abuse.

Text messages shown in court revealed an incident in September 2022 in London. In the texts, Mr Majors appears to admit that he had injured Ms Jabbari’s head. He then threatened to commit suicide if she went to the hospital, texts revealed.

Recap: What you may have missed in the trial

Marvel star Jonathan Majors’ assault trial saw his ex-girlfriend, dancer Grace Jabbari, 30, accuse him of assaulting her during an alleged altercation in New York City on March 25.

She said the actor pulled her finger, twisted her arm, hit her and pushed her in a way that caused her to fall onto the pavement.

Based on surveillance footage released on Wednesday, the events occurred as the couple got into a car that evening. Mr Majors can be seen shoving Ms Jabbari into the vehicle until he gives up, pulls her out of the car and drags her onto the sidewalk.

He then runs away from Ms Jabbari and she proceeds to chase him down several streets in Manhattan.

She said she sustained injuries in the alleged assault, including a bruised right middle finger and a cut to her ear. Mr Majors has denied the allegations. He was arrested on the night of the alleged incident after officers responded to a 911 call to his Chelsea penthouse apartment.

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ICYMI: Shocking audio revealed in court of Majors saying he needs a ‘great woman’ like Michelle obama

ICYMI: The timeline

September 2022 — Text messages (revealed in court) seem to show Mr Majors admitting he injured Jabbari while they were living in London. He urged her to not go to the hospital to treat the injuries, the texts show.

25 March, 2023 — Jonathan Majors was arrested in New York on five misdemeanour charges of assault, harassment, and strangulation after he allegedly assaulted his ex-girlfriend Grace Jabbari.

He was handed three counts of assault in the third degree, aggravated harassment in the second degree, three counts of attempted assault in the third degree and harassment in the second degree, per People.

26 March, 2023 — Mr Majors’ attorney releases a statement claiming that he’s innocent and actually the victim of a crime.

“Jonathan Majors is completely innocent and is provably the victim of an altercation with a woman he knows. We are quickly gathering and presenting evidence to the District Attorney with the expectation that all charges will be dropped imminently,” his attorney, Priya Chaudhry, said.

26 March, 2023 — The US Army pulls recruiting advertisements featuring Mr Majors following the arrest.

18 April, 2023 — Mr Majors’ public relations firm reportedly parts ways with the actor.

27 April, 2023 — Judge grants Grace Jabbari a full temporary order of protection against Mr Majors.

9 May, 2023 — Mr Majors appears in court for the first time.

21 June, 2023 — Mr Majors filed a domestic violence complaint against Ms Jabbari.

25 October, 2023 — Ms Jabbari is arrested on charges of assault and criminal mischief. The Manhattan DA’s office ultimately decided not to pursue a case against the woman.

29 November, 2023 — Trial begins.

18 December, 2023 — Jonathan Majors found guilty on two counts, one of assault and one of harassment

6, February 2024 — Tentative sentencing date for Majors

Grace Jabbari’s lawyer reacts to Majors’ guilty verdict

On Monday, a jury of three men and three women found Jonathan Majors guilty on two charges of assault and harassment after roughly two days of deliberations.

The actor was cleared of two separate charges: assault in the third degree and aggravated harassment. His sentencing is scheduled for Tuesday 6 February 2024.

Reacting to the verdict, Ross Kramer, an attorney for Grace Jabbari, the woman at the centre of the trial who said the actor assaulted her on March 25, said, “We are gratified to see justice served by today’s guilty verdict.

“Ms Jabbari testified publicly and truthfully, even though reliving these traumatic events on the witness stand was obviously painful,” she said.

“We are grateful to the jurors and the Judge for their attention and patience, and to the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office for their hard work and support.”

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