Actor Jonathan Majors attended a New York court on Wednesday for the anticipated commencement of jury selection in a trial where he stands accused of injuring his then-girlfriend during a dispute last spring.
The outcome of this trial may significantly impact Majors’ future, given his rise as a prominent figure with key roles in films like “Creed III” and his positioning as a potential major supervillain in the Marvel multiverse.
Accompanied by his current girlfriend, actress Meagan Good, the 34-year-old actor entered a Manhattan courtroom with a Bible and one of his distinctive coffee cups. Majors remained silent at the start of the proceedings, leaving uncertainty about whether he will testify during the trial.
In March, Majors was arrested following an altercation between the actor and his then-girlfriend, Grace Jabbari, that occurred during a car ride in Manhattan.
According to prosecutors, the incident unfolded when Jabbari seized Majors’ phone upon discovering a text, presumably from another woman, reading “Wish I was kissing you right now.” In an attempt to reclaim the phone, Majors allegedly pulled Jabbari’s finger, twisted her arm behind her back, and struck her face. After the couple’s driver halted the car and they exited, Jabbari claimed Majors forcefully returned her to the vehicle. Police reported that Jabbari received treatment at a hospital for minor injuries.
Majors’ legal representatives have consistently asserted that Jabbari initiated the altercation, claiming she scratched and hit the actor. They argued on Wednesday that responding police did not interview Majors and that Manhattan prosecutors have declined to examine evidence indicating he was the victim.
Jabbari faced a brief arrest by New York City police last month following Majors’ cross-complaint against her. However, the Manhattan district attorney’s office dropped all charges against her the following day.
Judge Michael Gaffey, on Wednesday, characterized Jabbari’s swift arrest as “very unusual,” raising the possibility that Majors’ celebrity status influenced the police department’s decision to charge his accuser three months after the incident. Gaffey questioned the court, asking, “Did this only come about because of the high-profile nature of the case? Would this arrest have happened if this was an indigent, everyday New Yorker?”
Majors faces misdemeanor charges, including assault, and could potentially receive a sentence of up to one year in jail if found guilty. Prosecutors intend to present over a dozen witnesses during the trial.
