A jury was selected Thursday in Jonathan Majors’ domestic assault trial in New York — after the Marvel actor stood and bowed to greet the prospective panelists who will decide his fate.
Majors, wearing a double-breasted slate gray suit, clasped his hands, nodded, gave a half bow, and then pressed his left hand over his heart when asked to introduce himself to a group of 40 prospective jurors in Manhattan Criminal Court.
Opening statements are set for Monday after six jurors and two alternates were selected to decide whether the 34-year-old “Loki” actor should be convicted of misdemeanor assault and harassment in a trial expected to last two weeks.
The “Creed III” star is accused of assaulting his now-ex-girlfriend Grace Jabbari during a taxi ride March 25 in Chinatown after he saw a text on her phone that read, “I wish I kissed you right now,” court papers said.
Jabbari, 30, a British dancer and movement coach, is expected to testify that Majors assaulted her after she reached for her phone to see who had sent the flirtatious messages.
Majors arrived at court Thursday morning holding hands with his new girlfriend, actor and model Meagan Good Matthew McDermott
Among the potential jurors in Majors’ case is fellow actor Yul Vasquez, who recently played the lead role in the Apple TV drama “Severance” and has also had small parts in hit shows like “The Sopranos” and “Seinfeld” and blockbusters like ” Runaway Bride” and “Bad Boys II” throughout his decades-long career.
Vasquez stated during jury selection that he has a “serious problem” with anyone who commits violence against women – and told the judge to “do with that information what you will.”
He was later exonerated from the case.
Three other prospective jurors said they could not take sides in the case because they had seen video of Majors’ accuser dancing in a nightclub hours after the alleged assault.
The actor’s lawyer has tried to use the video to downplay the alleged assault. The Manhattan District Attorney’s Office has also released video of Jabbari sobbing and talking to people on the sidewalk after the alleged incident.
Majors faces charges of misdemeanor assault and harassment at a trial expected to last two weeks. Steven Hirsch
Prosecutors allege Majors twisted his accuser’s arm and punched her in the ear before picking her up and throwing her into the back of the cab where the altercation took place.
Majors has pleaded not guilty to the charges, which threaten to derail his career as a rising Hollywood star who most recently played supervillain Kang The Conqueror in Marvel’s “Ant-Man and the Wasp” franchise.
He arrived at lower Manhattan court Thursday morning wearing a navy winter coat and a feathered fedora over his gray suit.
Once in the courtroom, he placed the gold leaf bible, notebook and ceramic mug he brought to court in front of him at the defense table.
His new girlfriend, actress and model Meagan Good, sat in the third row of the court gallery.
Before jury selection began, Judge Michael Gaffey ruled on whether jurors could hear what the court had previously called “inflammatory” evidence about Majors’ past actions.
Prosecutors have said in court papers that they are considering presenting during the September 2022 London trial an episode they say is related to the case, and has been investigated by local police.
Majors has starred as the supervillain Kang the Conqueror in Marvel’s “Ant-Man and the Wasp” franchise. Disney Collection/Courtesy Everett
But Thursday’s decision was sealed, with members of the press and the public prevented from hearing it.
The judge had argued on Wednesday that information released about the “inflammatory” evidence would “prejudice” potential jurors.
During jury selection, which began Wednesday, Majors made eye contact with several prospective jurors as they entered the room.
He was seen nodding and smiling slightly as he turned to face potential jurors at several points during the proceedings.
When the judge read the list of charges against him, he kept looking at the jurors, but occasionally looked down at the floor.
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Source: thtrangdai.edu.vn/en/
