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As it happenedended1707318288

Jonathan Majors’ sentencing delayed over last-ditch bid to avoid prison

Marvel actor is facing up to a year in prison after a Manhattan jury found him guilty of assaulting his ex-girlfriend Grace Jabbari

Michelle Del Rey,Andrea Blanco
Wednesday 07 February 2024 15:04 GMT
Jonathan Majors expresses 'shock' at verdict in first interview since assault conviction

Jonathan Majors’ sentencing hearing has been postponed after the actor had been scheduled to appear in court to hear his penalties following a jury conviction in December in his domestic assault case.

Attorneys for Majors filed a motion to set aside the verdict, which can be filed under New York law after a conviction but before sentencing, on Monday night.

Prosecutors now have until next month to respond to the motion. Judge Michael Gaffey has scheduled a new sentencing hearing for 8 April.

The former Marvel star, 34, was found guilty on counts of third-degree assault and harassment in December. The jury acquitted him of one count of assault and one count of aggravated harassment. He is facing a maximum sentence of one year in prison.

Officials arrested Majors in March 2023 when Ms Jabbari accused him of slapping her and throwing her into a car.

Following his conviction, Majors’ attorney Priya Chaudry said, “It is clear that the jury did not believe Grace Jabbari’s story of what happened in the SUV because they found that Mr Majors did not intentionally cause any injuries to her”.

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.

Majors’ past credits include Creed III, Marvel’s Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, the HBO drama Lovecraft Country, and the 2021 western The Harder They Fall.

Both Marvel and the Walt Disney Corporation have terminated their association with Majors.

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In pictures: Jonathan Majors’ high-profile assault trial

Jonathan Majors Assault
Jonathan Majors Assault (Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)
(AP)
Jonathan Majors, accompanied by girlfriend Meagan Good, enters a courtroom at the Manhattan Criminal Courthouse in New York on 14 December
Jonathan Majors, accompanied by girlfriend Meagan Good, enters a courtroom at the Manhattan Criminal Courthouse in New York on 14 December (AP)
Jonathan Majors Assault Case
Jonathan Majors Assault Case (Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)
Michelle Del Rey6 February 2024 06:42
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Jonathan Majors facing up to a year in jail

On Tuesday, the former Marvel actor will be sentenced after a jury convicted him of one count of third-degree assault and one count of harassment. The actor is facing up to a year in prison.

Mr Majors’ trial lasted three-weeks. During most of it, the actor attended court with his actress girlfriend Meagan Good. He frequently was seen with a bible on his desk.

Michelle Del Rey6 February 2024 13:00
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What did officials say after Jonathan Majors verdict?

“At the Manhattan DA’s Office, we are committed to centering survivors in all our work,” the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office said in a written statement following the verdict. “The evidence presented throughout this trial illustrated a cycle of psychological and emotional abuse, and escalating patterns of coercion far too common across the many intimate partner violence cases we see each and every day.”

Mike Bedigan6 February 2024 14:15
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Jonathan Majors sentencing postponed

The former Marvel actor’s sentencing has reportedly been postponed after he was scheduled to appear in court at 9am Tuesday to hear his penalties following a December criminal conviction in his domestic assault case.

His ex-girlfriend Grace Jabbari previously accused him of twisting her arm and striking her. He was arrested in connection with the altercation in March.

Michelle Del Rey6 February 2024 14:56
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Jonathan Majors said he hasn’t seen his 9-year-old daughter because of criminal proceedings

In an ABC News interview last month, Majors said he hasn’t seen his daughter in a long time because of the only criminal proceedings against him.

“A lot of it has to do with this situation,” he told Linsey Davis, a network anchor. “It’s been hard.”

Michelle Del Rey6 February 2024 15:08
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Former Marvel star will be appearing in court on Tuesday for motion filed by attorneys

The former Marvel actor is appearing in court this afternoon for a motion filed by his attorneys instead of his sentencing, according to PIX11 News.

It’s unclear what the motion is in regards to and why the sentencing was postponed. The Independent has reached out to the Manhattan DA’s Office for comment.

Michelle Del Rey6 February 2024 15:22
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Majors’ new sentencing hearing date could be as postponed to later this month

Though it’s still not clear when the former Marvel actor will be sentenced, media outlets are reporting that his new date could be as early as this month.

Majors is facing a punishment from probation to up to a year in prison for allegedly assaulting his ex-girlfriend, British dancer Grace Jabbari. Majors is a first-time defender and the case is a misdemeanor.

Deadline reported that the sentencing could still potentially happen in Febuary.

Michelle Del Rey6 February 2024 15:38
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Experts say Jonathan Majors won’t end up behind bars

Speaking to the Los Angeles Times, PR experts say that Majors made one mistake after the other in how he handled damage to his career.

According to the outlet, critics cited Majors’ ABC News interview in which he maintains his innocence and tells the interviewer that he is the true victim.

When asked about Grace Jabbari’s injuries, the former actor said, “I wish to God I knew”.

Experts predict that once Majors is sentenced, he will not end up behind bars, particularly because he has no prior criminal convictions

Michelle Del Rey6 February 2024 15:58
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Majors’ hearing postponed due to ‘slew of post-conviction motions'

Jonathan Majors’ sentencing has been postponed due to “a slew of post-conviction motions” filed by his attorneys, according to People.

The Independent has reached out to attorneys for Majors and the Manhattan DA’s Office for comment. It’s still not clear what type of motions were filed.

Michelle Del Rey6 February 2024 16:02
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Majors says he hasn’t seen his daughter in a ‘long time’ since criminal proceedings

The former Marvel said his domestic assault trial has created distance in his relationship with his 9-year-old daughter.

“A lot of it has to do with this situation. It all has to do with this situation,” Majors said in an ABC News interview. “It’s been hard.”

Michelle Del Rey6 February 2024 16:22

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