Jury finds Jonathan Majors guilty of assault and harassment
CNN
By Alli Rosenbloom and Nicki Brown, CNN
(CNN) — A New York jury on Monday found actor Jonathan Majors guilty of assault and harassment of his former girlfriend during a domestic dispute.
Majors, a rising star who has appeared in Disney’s Marvel franchise and “Creed III,” was convicted on Monday of one count of reckless assault in the 3rd degree and a non-criminal charge of harassment as a violation.
He was acquitted on another assault charge and one count of aggravated harassment.
Majors, who was present in court on Monday, held a straight a face while the verdict was being read. He left the courthouse without commenting to members of the media.
In a statement to CNN on Monday afternoon, Priya Chaudhry, an attorney for Majors, said he “still has faith in the process and looks forward to fully clearing his name.”
Shortly after news of the verdict, a source with knowledge of the matter told CNN that Marvel Studios would not be moving forward on any future projects with Majors, who was set to star as the villainous Kang in the upcoming “Avengers: The Kang Dynasty.”
A representative for Marvel declined to comment when reached by CNN.
The jury in the case deliberated for about four and a half hours total before reaching a verdict.
The trial, which began on December 4, stems from a March domestic dispute involving Majors and his former girlfriend, Grace Jabbari. Majors had pleaded not guilty to misdemeanor charges of assault and aggravated harassment.
During closing arguments last week, prosecutors alleged Majors “didn’t hesitate to use physical violence” against Jabbari when he grabbed Jabbari’s right hand, twisted her arm behind her back and then “struck a blow” to her head.
Majors’ attorney reiterated his innocence during her closing argument, calling the accusations against him “fake” and alleging that Jabbari was the aggressor in their argument.
Majors did not testify during the trial, but he was present in the New York City courtroom for the duration of the proceedings.
According to the New York Times, Jabbari testified on December 5 that Majors assaulted her in the backseat of a car during the March dispute, which prosecutors said happened after Jabbari saw a romantic text message on his phone from someone else.
“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 to CNN on Monday. “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.”
Until his legal troubles, Majors had starred in a number of high-profile film roles with more slated for production. He appeared as Kang in the Marvel film, “Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania,” which released back in February. He also appeared in the Disney+ series “Loki,” which aired its second season in October.
“Avengers: The Kang Dynasty” was to release in 2026 and would have served as a starring vehicle for Majors. He was also set to star in another film centered around his Marvel character, “Avengers: Secret Wars,” slated for a 2027 debut.
With Majors’ career trajectory already paused due to the trial, his professional future is now in question. The actor could face up to a year in prison for the assault conviction. He also faces a maximum of 15 days in jail and a $250 fine for the harassment violation.
His sentencing is scheduled for February 6 next year.
This story has been updated with additional information. CNN’s Elizabeth Wagmeister contributed to this story.
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