The assault trial of Marvel star Jonathan Majors has ended after nearly two weeks of court hearings. On Thursday, December 14, a jury of six New Yorkers began deliberations following closing arguments from the defense and prosecutors.
On March 25, the actor was arrested for allegedly assaulting his ex-girlfriend Grace Jabbari during a fight in the back of a hired black Cadillac Escalade. Majors was charged with four misdemeanor counts of assault and harassment and has since pleaded not guilty.
After deliberating for two days, the jury finally reached a decision.
Jury Reaches Verdict In Jonathan Majors Assault Trial
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On Monday, December 18, a jury found Jonathan Majors guilty of two of the four misdemeanor charges against him. Majors was found guilty of misdemeanor assault and harassment in connection with an assault involving his ex-girlfriend, Grace Jabbari, on March 25.
A jury found him not guilty of aggravated assault in the third degree and not guilty of aggravated harassment in the second degree against Jabbari.
The presiding judge, Judge Michael Gaffey, is scheduled to sentence on February 6 and issue a new protective order. Majors faces up to one year in prison for his crimes.
‘Loki’ Actor Arrested In March
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In March, it was revealed that “Loki” actor Majors was involved in a domestic conflict with a 30-year-old woman, later identified as Jabbari, according to a statement made by police.
“The victim informed the police that he was attacked,” a police representative said at the time. “Officers placed the 33-year-old man into custody without incident. The victim suffered minor head and neck injuries and was taken to an area hospital in a stable condition.”
Majors was charged with multiple misdemeanor counts of harassment and assault two days after his arrest. These include three counts of assault in the third degree, one count of aggravated harassment in the second degree and three counts of attempted assault in the third degree.
The lawsuit filed by the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office against Majors also details the altercation between the actor and the victim. Majors allegedly hit her “about the face with an open hand, causing severe pain and a cut behind her ear” and that he roughly grabbed her by the arms and neck, “causing significant bruising and pain.”
Majors pleaded not guilty to all charges.
Jonathan Majors Trial Timeline
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On the first day of Majors’ trial, which began in November, there was a closed hearing that featured a heated debate over the sealed evidence against Majors that was described as “prejudicial and inflammatory” by the presiding judge, Judge Michael Gaffey.
The hearing lasted nearly an hour, and the judge initially barred the press from the courtroom. He then allowed them to return to court and revealed that he would rule out the defense team’s request to keep evidence about Majors under wraps from the trial the next morning.
On the second day of the trial, a jury of six New Yorkers, three men and three women, was selected. Judge Gaffey enforced the seal on the evidence, which the DA had tried to introduce into the case under the Molineux rule, a legal standard in New York that allows the use of dropped prior criminal activity charges in a new trial. The evidence is reportedly information about previous incidents involving Majors in the UK and US
Judge Gaffey also ruled that the jury will hear testimony about Jabbari, who was also arrested for a physical violence incident in October after Majors filed a counterclaim in June. The DA’s office did not prosecute Jabbari.
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On the third day of the trial, opening statements began. The defense and prosecutors presented various accounts of what happened on March 25. Majors’ attorney, Priya Chaudhry, painted Jabbari as a woman out for revenge for allegedly cheating on Majors, who started the fight in the car. He also highlighted the 30-year-old’s nightclubbing after the fight with Majors and pleaded with the jury to “end his nightmare.”
Prosecutors, instead, accused Majors of hitting Jabbari multiple times during the fight, with District Attorney Michael Perez stating that the actor had “manipulated [Jabbar] in the past and trained him to be silent.”
On the fourth day of the trial, Jabbari testified for the first time. She tearfully recounted the events of that fateful night, claiming that she was left in agony after he pulled and twisted her arm over her attempts to check her phone for text messages from strangers. He recalls their conversation from the morning of the incident and how all he could think about was the actor’s “infidelity”.
Jabbari also recounted other past incidents of alleged emotional abuse from Majors, including one in which she called herself a monster and threatened to kill herself and another in which she allegedly yelled at him for talking about her ex-boyfriend’s dog.
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On the fifth day of the trial, Jabbari’s testimony continued with him stating that Majors knew what he was doing to him. She recalled trying to call him after the fight in an attempt to get some closure and how she locked the door in their shared apartment upon her return to feel “safe.”
The 30-year-old dancer also told the court that day that she was scared during questioning at the apartment and did not want to involve the police in their dispute because Majors was a “black man.”
On the sixth day of the trial, Jabbari became emotional while watching footage of himself in a nightclub. He was cross-examined about the defense’s use of his injured hand and how he appeared unharmed while interacting with strangers at the club. Jabbari claimed that he did not feel the pain of his injured finger due to the adrenaline rush.
Jabbari was also shown body camera footage worn by a police officer who found him in a wardrobe the day after the alleged fight. He became very emotional and stated that he did not want to watch the footage.
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On the seventh day of the trial, a scathing old text exchange between Jabbari and Majors was read out in court by the alleged victim. It shows the actor pleading with his ex-girlfriend not to go to hospital to treat a head wound, claiming it would lead to an investigation. The text also shows Majors threatening to kill himself.
On the eighth day of the trial, the main witness to the fight, Majors’ hired driver, Naveed Sarwar, testified against Jabbari, accusing him of being the aggressor. He claimed all Majors was trying to do during the fight was “get rid of” Huckstepp, who he said “beat up” the actor.
On the ninth day of the trial, Jonathan Majors’ 911 phone call from the day after the altercation was played in court. It depicts a visibly distraught Majors calling for help for his “ex-girlfriend,” who he fears has overdosed or killed herself. The actor was given instructions from the 911 dispatcher on what to do before the arrival of emergency personnel.
On the tenth day of the trial, it was confirmed that Majors had chosen not to testify. That day, the court heard from three witnesses: NYPD Detective Ronnie Meija, who reviewed the Majors case; Dr. Tammy Weiner, an emergency medicine doctor who speaks as a medical expert; and the actor’s talent agent, Elan Ruspoli. Both the defense and the prosecution rested their cases.
On the eleventh day of the trial, the defense and the prosecution had their closing arguments. Majors’ attorney argued that Jabbari was a “liar” who told “white lies and beautiful lies.” He claims the dancer created false scenarios and “twisted reality” to fit his narrative. The defense also implied that Majors was the victim of racial bias.
For the prosecution, they argue that Jabbari was assaulted by Majors, referring to video evidence of the actor seemingly pushing the accuser into a vehicle on the night of the incident. They also claim that what Majors did was not an isolated case.
Since news of the alleged assault hit the internet, Majors’ career has taken a hit. The actor was set to executive produce the next film version of Walter Mosley’s 2004 book, “The Man in My Basement,” but was dropped because of the allegations. Majors was also reportedly dropped from an advertising campaign for the Texas Rangers MLB team.
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Source: thtrangdai.edu.vn/en/
