After months of speculation surrounding his future at Marvel Studios, Jonathan Majors’ fate has been sealed, following the guilty verdict issued during the actor’s trial on domestic assault charges. The trial began on December 4, 2023, and stems from a dispute in March involving Majors — known for his role as Kang in the MCU — and his former girlfriend, Grace Jabbari.
Four counts relating to domestic assault and harassment were levelled against Major ahead of the trial, with a New York jury finding him guilty of two charges, per CNN: one count of reckless assault in the third degree and a non-criminal misdemeanour charge of harassment. The jury acquitted Majors of a third charge of assault with intent to cause injury.
The verdict was reached after three days of jury deliberations, with news emerging today (December 19) that Marvel has since cut ties with Majors. So what exactly was Major found guilty of, and what does this mean for his future at Marvel?
What did Jonathan Majors do?
The trial’s conclusion bookends a lengthy court drama for Majors, in relation to an incident that took place on March 24. Prosecutors say that while travelling in a private car to Majors’ apartment in Chelsea, the actor broke his then-girlfriend’s finger when she discovered a text from another woman on his phone.
According to court filings, Majors allegedly grabbed the right side of Jabbari’s body and pried her middle finger off the phone, which resulted in bruises and swelling. It’s also alleged that Major twisted Jabbari’s right arm, struck her in the ear, and threw her back into the car when she attempted to exit behind Majors.
As a result of the incident, Jabbari was said to have sustained a fractured finger, bruises, a laceration behind her ear, and a bump on her head. After finding Jabbari unconscious in his Chelsea apartment the following morning, and fearing from overnight texts that she had taken her own life, Majors called 911 and was subsequently arrested in the morning of March 25. That incident is the basis of the charges brought against the actor in the recently-concluded trial.
According to reports, jurors deliberated for six hours over the course of three days, poring over the clashing narratives presented by each party as to the events of the incident. Majors’ defence lawyers argued that Jabbari had actually injured herself earlier in the evening while partying with friends, alleging that she was the aggressor and citing his anxiety calling 911 as a Black man. Alongside her lawyers, Jabbari herself testified in her own defence, reiterating Majors’ assault in the backseat of the car.
Majors attended each day of the two-week trial — accompanied at least once by his current girlfriend, Meagan Good — but did not take to the stand to testify. The trial deliberated on four total charges levelled against Majors, all of which he pleaded not guilty, including; two counts of assault and two counts of harassment, all misdemeanors.
The jury of six convicted the actor on one count of assault and one count of harassment, and acquitted him of the other charges. The verdict means Majors recklessly — but not intentionally — injured Jabbari and harassed her on the night of the incident.
The actor faces a maximum one-year jail sentence on the misdemeanor assault and harassment charges, and his sentencing has been scheduled for February 6. He also faces a maximum of 15 days in jail and a $250 fine for the harassment violation.
According to reports, both parties remained emotionless as the verdict was reached, with Majors said to have pursed his lips and cast his face down when the conviction was read. Jabbari’s lawyers said they were “gratified to see justice served” following the verdict, while Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, whose office brought the charges forward, said the case shines a light on domestic assault issues that are “far too common.”
For their part, Majors’ lawyers said they are “grateful” that jurors did not believe the actor intentionally caused harm, claiming that he still has faith in the process and looks forward to “fully clearing his name.” In the wake of the verdict, Marvel Studios confirmed that it would not be moving forward with any future projects involving Majors, essentially cutting out a multi-film and television arc involving a key villain for the studio’s sprawling universe.
Alongside that role, Majors was dropped by his management company, public relations firm and several advertisers after his arrest. Magazine Dreams, a film starring Majors and set for release by Disney this month, was removed from the studio’s release schedule in October.