Shortly before Jonathan Majors was sentenced Monday, April 8, to an “in-person batterers intervention program†for his domestic-violence case involving ex-girlfriend Grace Jabbari, she described becoming a shell of a woman during their time together. “His assault essentially left me unable to sleep, unable to eat … and experience a total loss of self-esteem,†Jabbari said. Jabbari also recounted that “when I was with him, I became a different version of myself. I was small, scared and vulnerable.â€Â “He is not sorry, he has not accepted responsibility, and he will do this again and he will hurt other women,†Jabbari said. “This is a man who believes he’s above the law.†As Jabbari spoke, the side of Majors’s face appeared to twitch.
The fallen Marvel star was convicted guilty of assault and harassment on December 18, 2023, following a three-week trial. During the proceeding, prosecutors had asked for domestic-violence programming, or a six-month jail sentence, if Majors didn’t comply with the mandated programming. Majors entered court around 9:45 a.m., sporting a navy-and-white patterned coat, under which was a double-breasted blazer and Steve Jobs–esque shirt, as well as dramatic sunglasses. He carried a Bible, as per usual during his court proceedings, and could be seen leafing through pages prior to the judge’s arrival. Majors chose not to speak at his sentencing, with defense attorney Priya Chaudhry saying he feared any comments would be fodder for Jabbari in her federal civil lawsuit against him filed on March 19, 2024.
The trial involved a March 25, 2023, incident with Majors and his then-girlfriend, Grace Jabbari. Prosecutors said that Majors assaulted Jabbari after she confronted him about his alleged cheating. As the two were traveling back to their Chelsea home after going out in Brooklyn, Jabbari testified, she spotted a text message on his phone that effectively stated, “Wish I was kissing you right now,†seemingly referencing a D’Angelo song. Jabbari told jurors that she took the phone from Majors to see who had texted. The prosecution said that Majors grabbed Jabbari’s right side, “prying Ms. Jabbari’s right middle finger off the phone, causing bruising, swelling, and substantial pain.†The Manhattan DA’s office also said that Majors twisted Jabbari’s arm and hit her right ear, leaving a gash. Majors then took his phone and got out of their chauffeured SUV, prosecutors said. When Jabbari tried to get out, Majors “grabbed her, picked her up, and threw her back inside.â€
New York Police Department officers arrested Majors hours after he returned to their apartment. Several months after Majors’s arrest, he filed a cross-complaint against Jabbari. Despite the fact that prosecutors said they wouldn’t pursue charges against her, the NYPD arrested Jabbari in October. The Manhattan DA’s office tossed out the case against her immediately.
Majors’s trial was on three misdemeanor counts and one violation over Jabbari’s claims against two counts of third-degree assault (one reckless, one intentional), one count of second-degree aggravated harassment, and another of second-degree harassment. The first three counts were for activity inside the car; the fourth, which is a violation, involved an incident outside the vehicle. Majors was found guilty of reckless third-degree assault and second-degree harassment for the in-car assault and altercation outside the car. He had faced a maximum sentence of 364 days in jail. Majors has maintained his innocence.
In asking for in-person domestic-violence programming, prosecutor Kelli Galaway pointed to Majors’s apparently unrepentant response to the conviction. “Despite the jury’s verdict, the defendant has still refused to accept any responsibility for his actions. In fact, after being convicted in this very courtroom, rather than show contrition for his actions, the defendant chose to engage in a high-powered public-relations campaign including a nationally broadcasted television interview,†Galaway said. “During this campaign, the defendant not only maintained his innocence and denied his crimes, but has continued to disparage Grace Jabbari, the victim he abused, and publicly questioned the credibility of the fair trial he received, as well as the legitimacy of the jury’s verdict.â€
“The defendant’s complete lack of remorse, as well as the pattern of abuse that Ms. Jabbari testified to and discussed with the Department of Probation, make it all the more likely this defendant will reoffend without serious, in-person intervention through domestic-violence programming.†Majors has faced other abuse allegations, and he has denied them.
Chaudhry, who told the judge she was keeping her comments short due to the civil case, did say that Majors was working on himself. “Since his arrest on March 25, 2023, Mr. Majors has lost all of his employment opportunities,†Chaudhry said. “Without question, this has been the most challenging year of Jonathan Majors’s life, and I believe history will show a pivotal one.â€
“Mr. Majors has already taken it upon himself to embark upon counseling and therapy, and continues to do so. We believe a sentence of continued counseling is appropriate here.â€
“What Grace Jabbari did over the past year was incredibly brave and important. She overcame every obstacle put in her path to give honest, emotional public testimony, in a court very far from her home,†Ross Kramer, Jabbari’s attorney, said in a statement. “Grace demonstrated that justice can be served in cases like this. Hopefully, her example will empower other survivors to break their silence and hold their abusers accountable.â€
This is a developing story and has been updated throughout with new information and quotes.