Actor Jonathan Majors was found guilty by a New York jury of assault and harassment of his former girlfriend during a domestic dispute. On Monday, December 18, the Marvel franchise star was convicted of one count of reckless assault in the 3rd degree and a non-criminal charge of harassment as a violation. However, he was acquitted on another assault charge and one count of aggravated harassment.
Before reaching a verdict, the jury deliberated for about four and a half hours.
Before reaching a verdict, the jury deliberated for about four and a half hours. Priya Chaudhry, an attorney for Majors, told CNN in a statement that he “still has faith in the process and looks forward to fully clearing his name.”
The incident that led to the trial involved a domestic dispute in March, involving Majors and his former girlfriend Grace Jabbari. Majors had previously pleaded not guilty to misdemeanour charges of assault and aggravated harassment.
Prosecutors claimed during closing arguments that Majors “didn’t hesitate to use physical violence” against Jabbari. He allegedly twisted her right arm behind her back and then “struck a blow” to her head. Majors’ attorney alleged that the accusations are “fake” and that Jabbari was the aggressor.
While Majors was present in the New York City courtroom during the proceedings, he did not testify. The New York Times reported that on December 5, Jabbari testified that she was assaulted by Majors in the backseat of a car during the dispute. Prosecutors claimed the incident took place after Jabbari noticed a romantic text message someone had sent him on his phone.
“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,” Jabbari’s attorneys said in a statement. “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.”
Majors’ sentencing is scheduled for February 6, 2024.