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Jonathan Majors has been found guilty of assaulting his former girlfriend Grace Jabbari.
The Marvel star, 34, was arrested in March in New York after Ms 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.
He previously pleaded not guilty to charges of misdemeanour assault, aggravated harassment, attempted assault and harassment.
Following a 10–day-long trial, which included testimony from the driver of the vehicle and Ms Jabbari herself, the split verdict was returned on Monday. The jury found Majors guilty of one count of assault and one count of harassment but acquitted him of another count of assault and one aggravated harassment count.
Attention now turns to whether Majors will face jail time. It is thought he could face up to one year in prison.
However, according to reports, Majors will not be sentenced until Tuesday 6 February 2024.
Jonathan Majors arrives in court on Monday
(AP)
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg said in a statement that evidence presented in the trial showed a “cycle of psychological and emotional abuse, and escalating patterns of coercion”.
“We thank the jury for its service and the survivor for bravely telling her story despite having to relive the trauma on the stand,” Mr Bragg said.
During closing arguments, prosecutors said that the case had hinged on four words: “control, domination, manipulation, and abuse.”
Assistant district attorney Kelli Galloway also criticised the defence’s portrayal of Jabbari as trying to seek revenge after the alleged assault: “This is not consistent with the testimony that you heard,” she said.
“This is not a revenge plot to ruin the defendant’s life, his career, to take everything away from him,” Ms Galloway continued. What transpired in March 2023 was “not consistent with a premeditated plan of revenge.”
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Majors appeared to weep as his attorney Priya Chaudry reiterated his innocence in her own remarks.
After news of the allegations against him broke, the actor was dropped by his management team, while the US Army pulled a number of advertisements featuring the actor from circulation.
Last month, The Independent reported that Marvel “in crisis” and that the next batch of superhero-blockbuster projects has reportedly been thrown into disarray due to Majors’s legal troubles.
Another forthcoming Majors project, Magazine Dreams has been removed from Walt Disney Studios’ release calendar. Elijah Bynum’s film about an aspiring bodybuilder (Majors) who struggles to find human connection was originally set to premiere on 8 December.
Follow the latest developments in the trial here.
Sophie Anderson, a UK-based writer, is your guide to the latest trends, viral sensations, and internet phenomena. With a finger on the pulse of digital culture, she explores what’s trending across social media and pop culture, keeping readers in the know about the latest online sensations.
