Jonathan Majors trial - live: Driver testifies against Grace Jabbari in domestic violence case

Speaking at the trial on Monday, the driver of the black Cadillac that transported Jonathan Majors and Grace Jabbari on March 25 said he thought that the dancer hit the actor in the alleged altercation.

Through an Urdu interpreter, the driver said he recalled the dancer demanding to see the actor’s phone. “The girl became very angry... the boy wanted to get rid of the girl and he opened the door,” the driver said, according to Courthouse News.

“He was trying to get rid of her,” he continued. “He was saying ‘leave me alone. I have to go’”.

The driver added: “He was not doing anything, she was doing it”.

He continued describing that evening to members of the jury.

“When the earlier happening, I had a feeling the girl had hit the boy...because of the way that she was fighting, and the sounds produced.”

The driver vacated the stand after a brief cross-examination.

Last week, the court learned about text messages relating to an incident in September 2022 which suggested the actor had injured Grace Jabbari’s head and then urged her not to report it to the hospital.

The trial is scheduled to last two weeks.

Key points

• Why is Jonathan Majors on trial?

• Attorneys not to refer to Grace Jabbari as “the victim”

• A timeline of events since Jonathan Majors’ arrest

• Jonathan Majors’ attorney asks panelists if they can presume her client is ‘innocent’ as jurors are selected

Trial winding down for the day

Monday 11 December 2023 22:02 , Michelle Del Rey

Monday’s proceedings are winding down.

Two witnesses, a doctor that treated Grace Jabbari and a driver who was in the car the couple used, testified in court.

The trial has now entered its second week. Judge Michael Gaffey said proceedings were meant to last two weeks.

Doctor has been dismissed from the stand

Monday 11 December 2023 21:24 , Michelle Del Rey

The doctor who was testifying in the case has been dismissed from the stand, according to a report from Vulture.

Doctor says Grace Jabbari’s assessment would indicate she’s ‘at risk’ for alcohol abuse disorder

Monday 11 December 2023 21:06 , Michelle Del Rey

The doctor who treated Grace Jabbari on March 25 said that an assessment she took would indicate that she’s “at-risk” for alcohol abuse disorder, according to Vulture.

Ms Jabbari previously said she had three to four alcoholic drinks a night and would have more than six drinks in one sitting monthly.

The doctor made the comments during cross-examination, which has now ended.

Attorney for Jonathan Majors asking doctor about Grace Jabbari’s injuries

Monday 11 December 2023 20:44 , Michelle Del Rey

Priya Chaudhry, an attorney for Jonathan Majors is asking the doctor how Ms Jabbari broke her finger.

He told the court that the dancer said she did not know how she sustained her injuries when asked by medical personnel. The woman also did not tell officials she was struck in the back of the head when she went to the hospital.

The doctor continued by saying there was no evidence of cauliflower ear on Ms Jabbari or apparent scratches on her face.

Doctor testifying about Grace Jabbari’s injuries

Monday 11 December 2023 20:20 , Michelle Del Rey

The doctor who treated Grace Jabbari after the alleged incident is now discussing the different injuries she sustained on March 25.

According to Vulture, William Chang, said the dancer had a fracture in her finger and a cut behind her ear. The cut was closed with skin glue, he told the court.

The medical professional was asked what the injury might’ve stemmed from.

He said it could have been from her “being hit in the ear, or hitting a sharp object.”

Monday 11 December 2023 19:40 , Michelle Del Rey

ICYMI: Grace Jabbari asks not to watch body-cam footage

Ms Jabbari returned to the courtroom pleading not to watch the body-cam footage from the night of the alleged incident.

“Do I have to?” she asked.

The video was played for her again, before it was shown to the courtroom.

According to The Daily Beast, Ms Jabbari sobbed as it played. In the video, officers are seen speaking to her from inside a closet in Mr Majors’ Manhattan apartment.

“I was trying to sleep and I got sick,” Ms Jabbari is heard saying in the footage.

Driver said he did not find blood in car

Monday 11 December 2023 18:48 , Michelle Del Rey

The driver of the car used by Jonathan Majors and Grace Jabbari said he did not find blood in the backseat following an alleged altercation on March 25 between the former couple.

The man, identified as Mr Sanwar, made the comment during cross-examination.

Monday 11 December 2023 18:30 , Michelle Del Rey

Attorneys not to refer to Grace Jabbari as “the victim”

Attorneys in the case are not allowed to refer to Grace Jabbari as “the victim” during the trial, according to CBS News. She can however be referred to as “the victim of X action”.

On Thursday, Judge Michael Gaffey decided that the defence could bring up Ms Jabbari’s prior arrest during the trial, according to a Vulture reporter inside the courtroom.

Ms Jabbari was taken into custody in October after Jonathan Majors filed a cross-complaint against her in June, claiming that she assaulted him. The New York City Police Department authorised her arrest, but the Mahattan District Attorney’s Office ultimately decided not to pursue a case against her.

Driver of the car Jonathan Majors and Grace Jabbari used is testifying

Monday 11 December 2023 18:21 , Michelle Del Rey

The driver of the car used by Jonathan Majors and Grace Jabbari on the night of the alleged incident is testifying in the trial.

He’s been identified only as Mr Sanwar. His employer is said to be a private black car service.

Through an Urdu interpreter, the driver said he recalled the dancer demanding to see the actor’s phone. “The girl became very angry... the boy wanted to get rid of the girl and he opened the door,” the driver said, according to Courthouse News.

“He was trying to get rid of her,” he continued. “He was saying ‘leave me alone. I have to go’”.

The driver added: “He was not doing anything, she was doing it”.

He continued describing the evening to jurors.

“When the earlier happening, I had a feeling the girl had hit the boy...because of the way that she was fighting, and the sounds produced.”

Seth Zuckerman, an attorney for Mr Majors, cross-examined the driver, asking him, “Did you ever find any blood in your vehicle after that night?” and “Did you ever see at any point that night Mr Majors being in the third row of the vehicle.”

Court breaks for lunch

Monday 11 December 2023 17:30 , Michelle Del Rey

The court has taken a break for lunch. The trial should resume around 2.15pm.

Next witness called to the stand

Monday 11 December 2023 16:57 , Michelle Del Rey

Max Manning, a client service associate at Morgan Stanley, has been called to the stand. He’s been identified as Chloe’s boyfriend.

During cross-examination, attorneys for Jonathan Majors asked Mr Manning if he noticed any injuries on Ms Jabbari from the alleged incident on March 25.

He said he did not. The attorney then asked if she complained about any injuries. He responded: “I can’t remember that part but not specifically.”

Woman who went to bar with Grace Jabbari done testifying

Monday 11 December 2023 16:37 , Michelle Del Rey

Chloe, the woman who said she went to a bar with Grace Jabbari the night of the incident, is done testifying.

A new witness will be taking the stand shortly.

Woman who went to bar with Grace Jabbari testifying

Monday 11 December 2023 16:17 , Michelle Del Rey

A woman who went to a bar with Grace Jabbari after the incident on March 25 is testifying.

The woman, who has been identified only as Chloe and has been described as a blonde, said she ran into Ms Jabbari in Soho.

“She explained to me that she had just gotten out of a moving vehicle and no longer had her phone, wallet, or keys,” the woman said on the stand, according to Vulture.

Ms Jabbari also told the woman that she just found out that Mr Majors “was cheating on her”. The group tried to figure out who would stay where following the alleged altercation. The woman was concerned about Ms Jabbari and Mr Majors going back to the same home.

Chloe then invited Ms Jabbari to a birthday party she was planning on attending with her friends.

Judge issues key ruling on domestic violence expert’s testimony

Monday 11 December 2023 15:40 , Michelle Del Rey

Jonathan Majors’ assault trial is resuming on Monday following a break over the weekend.

An expert on domestic violence is scheduled to testify but Judge Michael Gaffey, who is presiding over the proceedings, has issued limitations on what the expert can say.

“The court will not allow testimony that “’false allegations of domestic violece are incredibly rare,’” Judge Gaffey said on Monday.

The expert also cannot testify that “because a person exhibited certain behaviors, that person is a victim of domestic violence”.

The actor was spotted arriving at court earlier this morning with girlfriend Meagan Good.

Sunday 10 December 2023 11:00 , Kelly Rissman

Driver of car carrying Jonathan Majors and Grace Jabbari will testify for prosecution

Prosecutors announced during opening statements that the driver of the car the couple was in when their fight broke out will be testifying for the prosecution.

The driver will state that the actor allegedly “threw Grace Jabbari like a football” back into the car after the alleged incident took place, the New York Post reported.

Sunday 10 December 2023 07:00 , Kelly Rissman

Recap: Why is Jonathan Majors on trial?

Earlier this year, actor Jonathan Majors was set to become the next great supervillain in the Marvel multiverse.

Now, the breakout star with major roles in films including Creed III and Loki is on trial for allegedly assaulting his then-girlfriend during an argument last spring and could spend a year in jail if convicted.

Mr Majors, 34, was arrested in March in Manhattan after Grace Jabbari accused him of slapping her, throwing her into the car after she exited it, twisting her arm and grabbing and injuring her hand.

He is charged with misdemeanors including assault and could be sentenced to up to a year in jail if convicted. Majors has pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Prosecutors said it started when Ms Jabbari had grabbed a phone out of the actor’s hand after seeing a text, presumably from another woman, saying “Wish I was kissing you right now.” Mr Majors tried to snatch the phone back.

After the couple’s driver stopped the car and the pair got out, Ms Jabbari said Mr Majors threw her back into the vehicle.

Police said that she was treated at a hospital for minor injuries to her head and neck, which included a cut to her ear.

Read the full story...

Why is Jonathan Majors on trial for assault?

Saturday 9 December 2023 11:00 , Kelly Rissman

ICYMI: What is this case about?

Majors was arrested in March over a confrontation with Grace Jabbari, his girlfriend at the time, during a car ride in Manhattan.

Prosecutors said Jabbari had grabbed a phone out of the actor’s hand after seeing a text saying: “Wish I was kissing you right now”.

Majors tried to snatch the phone back.

Jabbari said Majors pulled her finger, twisted her arm behind her back and hit her face. After the couple’s driver stopped the car and the pair got out, Jabbari said Majors threw her back into the vehicle.

Police said Jabbari was treated at a hospital for minor injuries. Majors’ lawyers have maintained that Jabbari was the aggressor during the fight and had scratched and hit him.

Saturday 9 December 2023 07:00 , Kelly Rissman

Majors’ arrest prompted to ‘create new commercials’

Jonathan Majors’s arrest has forced the US Army to think on its feet following a newly launched advertising campaign featuring the Marvel star.

The actor, who was arrested on 25 March in New York on charges of strangulation, assault and harassment, was the narrator of two ads featured in a media campaign that was launched at the NCAA’s March Madness college basketball tournament.

Due to Majors’ casting in recent blockbusters Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania and Creed III, army leaders hoped his involvement would help them reach the youth audience.

In a statement on Sunday (26 March), the Enterprise Marketing Office said that the Army was aware of Majors’s arrest and was “deeply concerned by the allegations”.

It added that while Majors “is innocent until proven guilty, prudence dictates that we pull our ads until the investigation into these allegations is complete”.

Saturday 9 December 2023 03:00 , Kelly Rissman

Disney removes Majors movie from release calendar amid assault trial

Walt Disney Studios has removed Magazine Dreams, a forthcoming drama starring Jonathan Majors, from its release calendar amid the star’s newly-scheduled assault trial.

Elijah Bynum’s film about an aspiring bodybuilder (Majors) who struggles to find human connection was originally set to premiere on 8 December. The Independent has contacted Disney for comment.

A New York judge decided this week that the US actor, 33, will face trial on domestic abuse charges after rejecting the defence’s motion to dismiss the case.

In March this year, Majors was accused of attacking his then-girlfriend, Grace Jabbari. Majors has denied the claim and accused Jabbari of attacking him.

Read the full story...

Disney removes Jonathan Majors film from release calendar amid assault trial

Friday 8 December 2023 23:00 , Kelly Rissman

What you missed on Thursday

Majors’ defence lawyer, Priya Chaudhry, had been playing Jabbari a surveillance video from the night of the alleged assault showing Majors lifting her up and thrusting her into their car.

“I really don’t want to watch it again,” Jabbari said through tears, as Majors looked on impassively from his nearby seat. “This is going to make me sick.”

The video capped off the fourth and most emotionally charged day of the trial against Majors, a rising Hollywood star who was arrested in March for allegedly assaulting Jabbari, his girlfriend of two years, in the backseat of a chauffeured car.

Prosecutors say the 34-year-old actor struck her on the side of the head and fractured her middle finger during a dispute that began when she read a romantic text on his phone sent by another woman. After the driver pulled over and the pair got out, Majors picked her up and threw her “like a football” back into the car, according to prosecutors.

“There were multiple pushes, multiple injuries,” Jabbari replied. She has accused Majors of having a “violent temper” that culminated in her assault in the backseat of a moving car, an incident that was not captured on video.

Defence attorneys also played surveillance footage from a Manhattan nightclub that aimed to cast doubt on Jabbari’s claims she suffered “excruciating” pain and injuries during the alleged assault.

The grainy footage showed Jabbari in the hours after the incident dancing and drinking with a group of three strangers who she said offered to help after finding her distraught and without her phone on the streets of Manhattan.

Not wanting to be alone, Jabbari said she accompanied the group to a nightclub called Loosie’s, where she ordered a bottle of champagne and a round of shots with her new friends.

As she played a compilation of video clips from inside the club, an attorney for Majors peppered the accuser with questions about how she was able to use her injured hand for tasks like lifting a champagne glass, rifling through her bag, or brushing locks of hair behind her ear.

“I wasn’t focusing on pain. I was just trying to have a nice time,” Jabbari replied. “There were these lovely people there and I felt safe with them.”

It was only once she got up the next morning that she felt “like I got hit by a bus,” Jabbari testified. She was roused from her sleep by police officers who were called by Majors to break into the locked bedroom.

In body-camera footage played Thursday, Jabbari can be heard telling the officers that she and Majors had gotten in a fight but that she couldn’t remember the cause of her injuries.

She didn’t go into detail with the officers, she said, “because I was trying to protect him.”

Majors was arrested while Jabbari was treated for minor injuries at a local hospital.

“Things started coming back to me when I calmed down and allowed myself to not worry about him,” she said. “When I realized I escaped the situation.”

Friday 8 December 2023 20:15 , Kelly Rissman

Inside Ms Jabbari’s psychology

Ms Jabbari was asked on Friday why she didn’t tell doctors how she was injured in March 2023.

“I was scared of the consequences,” Ms Jabbari said. “I guess I still wanted to protect him.”

Friday 8 December 2023 19:45 , Kelly Rissman

Majors and girlfriend return to court

Friday 8 December 2023 19:15 , Kelly Rissman

Jonathan Majors’ texts reveal harrowing incident in September 2022

Prosecutors showed Grace Jabbari text messages from September 2022 regarding an unrelated episode while the pair were living together in London. The texts, according to reports, revealed that Majors warned against his then-girlfriend from reporting her head injuries to a hospital.

No further details of the incident were available, as they were precluded from being shown to jurors. However, People reported that a filing alluded to the incident: “medical records from London related to an incident that occurred in September 2022.”

“Did the defendant try to dissuade you from getting medical attention?” a prosecutor asked Ms Jabbari. “Yes,” she replied.

“I fear you have no perspective of what could happen if you go to the hospital,” Majors texted, according to the outlet. “They will ask you questions, and as I don’t think you actually protect us, it could lead to investigation even if you do lie, and they suspect something.”

Read the full story...

Jonathan Majors’ accuser breaks down in tears on witness stand and flees courtroom

Friday 8 December 2023 17:15 , Kelly Rissman

Jabbari’s transformation, according to a friend

Holly Blakey, a choreographer, testified about her friend, dancer Grace Jabbari. Ms Blakey said she noticed a change in her friend over the course of her relationship with Majors.

At first, the pair seemed “very in love” and “very excited”, Ms Blakey said, according to reports.

However, she later noticed: “Over time, I would say [Jabbari] lost a lot of weight, first thing I noticed. Much thinner, and she saw her friends a lot less.”

Friday 8 December 2023 16:51 , Kelly Rissman

Next up to the witness stand: Holly Blakey, a British choreographer

Grace Jabbari reportedly called Ms Blakey, a choreographer and her friend, on 26 March -- one day after the alleged assault, according to a Courthouse News reporter.

“She sounded like I’d never heard her before, quite quiet, quiet wrecked, sounded like she was in shock,” Ms Blakey told jurors.

The choreographer also told the court that when she first met Majors, she found him to be a ”very sweet and charming person.”

Friday 8 December 2023 16:30 , Kelly Rissman

ICYMI: The timeline

25 March, 2023 — Jonathan Majors was arrested in New York on five misdemeanour charges of assault, harassment, and strangulation after he allegedly assaulted his ex-girlfriend Grace Jabbari.

He was handed three counts of assault in the third degree, aggravated harassment in the second degree, three counts of attempted assault in the third degree and harassment in the second degree, per People.

26 March, 2023 — Mr Majors’ attorney releases a statement claiming that he’s innocent and actually the victim of a crime.

“Jonathan Majors is completely innocent and is provably the victim of an altercation with a woman he knows. We are quickly gathering and presenting evidence to the District Attorney with the expectation that all charges will be dropped imminently,” his attorney, Priya Chaudhry, said.

26 March, 2023 — The US Army pulls recruiting advertisements featuring Mr Majors following the arrest.

18 April, 2023 — Mr Majors’ public relations firm reportedly parts ways with the actor.

27 April, 2023 — Judge grants Grace Jabbari a full temporary order of protection against Mr Majors.

9 May, 2023 — Mr Majors appears in court for the first time.

21 June, 2023 — Mr Majors filed a domestic violence complaint against Ms Jabbari.

25 October, 2023 — Ms Jabbari is arrested on charges of assault and criminal mischief. The Manhattan DA’s office ultimately decided not to pursue a case against the woman.

29 November, 2023 — Trial begins.

Friday 8 December 2023 16:30 , Kelly Rissman

Prosecutors revisit a September 2022 encounter

Prosecutors showed Majors’ ex-girlfriend text messages from September 2022 regarding an unrelated incident, in which he allegedly warned her about going to the hospital.

“Did the defendant try to dissuade you from getting medical attention?” prosecutors asked Ms Jabbari. “Yes,” she replied.

The text messages:

“Why would I tell them what really happened if I feel like I want to be with you?” Jabbari asked Majors after he warned her against seeking medical attention for her injuries.

“I will tell the doctor I bumped my head,” Jabbari says in a text, according to reports. “I will not go to the doctor if you don’t feel safe with me doing so.”

“It’s just fake,” Majors’ text apparently said. “And I fear you have no perspective what could happen if you go the hospital, they will ask you questions….it will lead to an investigation even if you do lie and they suspect something.”

Friday 8 December 2023 15:30 , Kelly Rissman

‘This is going to make me sick’

Grace Jabbari pleaded to not have to watch the footage of the incident again on Thursday.

Majors’ attorney played a surveillance video repeatedly that showed Majors lifting Jabbari -- his girlfriend of two years -- and thrusting her into the chauffeured car.

The video allegedly showed Majors assaulting Jabbari in the backseat, sparking tears and pleas to not show the emotional video again.

“There’s no need to apologize, it’s emotional, if you need time let us know,” Judge Michael Gaffey told Jabbari when she returned to the courtroom after stepping out to sob, according to the New York Post.

Jonathan Majors demanded ‘total compliance’ from ex-girlfriend

Friday 8 December 2023 14:30 , Michelle Del Rey

This week, the court heard that Jonathan Majors held his ex-gifriend Grace Jabbari to impossibly high standards, allegedly telling her that she “needs to live up to the standards of Coretta Scott King, Martin Luther King’s wife, and Michelle Obama.”

According to prosecutors, Mr Majors once told her, “I am a great man — a great man” and “demanded from Grace Jabbari total compliance.”

Grace Jabbari describes how the media attention on the case has impacted her life

Friday 8 December 2023 12:30 , Michelle Del Rey

“It’s a lot of unwanted attention over a very difficult part of my life,” Ms Jabbari told the jury on Wednesday, according to The Messenger.

She said she “had to tell friends and family everything and that has been really hard.

“It felt like that abuse that I was in has just not ended.”

Jonathan Majors US Army ads were dropped after arrest

Friday 8 December 2023 10:30 , Michelle Del Rey

Ads featuring the ‘Ant-Man’ and ‘Creed III’ star were dropped after his arrest in New York

Jonathan Majors’ arrest forces US Army to quickly ‘create new commercials’

Court proceedings wrap up for Thursday

Friday 8 December 2023 08:30 , Michelle Del Rey

Court is done for the day. Grace Jabbari will return to the stand on Friday for a final day of testimony.

Ms Jabbari testified for much of Wednesday and Thursday.

On Thursday, she faced a multitude of questions about her drinking habits and was forced to watch officer body-cam footage from the night of the alleged incident, when officers responded to Mr Majors’ Chelsea apartment.

This prompted the woman to break down and beg not to watch the video.

Stay tuned for updates tomorrow.

Driver of the car Jonathan Majors was in with Grace Jabbari will testify for prosecution

Friday 8 December 2023 06:30 , Michelle Del Rey

Prosecutors announced during opening statements that the driver of the car the couple was in when their fight broke out will be testifying for the prosecution.

The driver will state that the actor allegedly “threw Grace Jabbari like a football” back into the car after the alleged incident took place, the New York Post reported.

What happened during Wednesday’s proceedings?

Friday 8 December 2023 04:30 , Michelle Del Rey

Proceedings throughout the day largely focused on the testimony of Grace Jabbari, who described how she met Jonathan Majors, the alleged incident on 25 March 2023, and the media attention on the trial.

The dancer also faced questions from Jonathan Majors’ attorney, with a few of them being sustained by Judge Michael Gaffey. One question in particular, about the 30 year-old’s high school boyfriend who died by suicide, brought her to tears and forced her to temporarily vacate the witness stand.

Jonathan Majors arrives at court for another day of testimony

Friday 8 December 2023 02:30 , Michelle Del Rey

The Marvel star arrived at a Manhattan courtroom for another day of testimony from Grace Jabbari, the woman who says he assaulted her in back in March.

The actor entered hand-in-hand with his rumoured girlfriend Meagan Good on Wednesday.

Who is Jonathan Majors?

Friday 8 December 2023 01:30 , Michelle Del Rey

Mr Majors’s arrest in March came during what was tipped as being the biggest year of his professional career.

In 2023 he had starring roles in Marvel’s Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, Creed III and the second season of the Loki TV show, in which he played Kang the Conqueror.

He is also still set to star in the upcoming Marvel movie, Avengers: The Kang Dynasty, although it is unclear if he will remain attached to the project.

Following his arrest he was dropped by his managers and a publicity firm, while Disney-owned Searchlight Features has moved Magazine Dreams from its slate of releases.

Photos of Jonathan Majors at court this week

Friday 8 December 2023 00:30 , Michelle Del Rey

A timeline of events since Jonathan Majors’ arrest

Thursday 7 December 2023 23:30 , Michelle Del Rey

25 March, 2023 — Jonathan Majors was arrested in New York on five misdemeanour charges of assault, harassment, and strangulation after he allegedly assaulted his ex-girlfriend Grace Jabbari.

He was handed three counts of assault in the third degree, aggravated harassment in the second degree, three counts of attempted assault in the third degree and harassment in the second degree, per People.

26 March, 2023 — Mr Majors’ attorney releases a statement claiming that he’s innocent and actually the victim of a crime.

“Jonathan Majors is completely innocent and is provably the victim of an altercation with a woman he knows. We are quickly gathering and presenting evidence to the District Attorney with the expectation that all charges will be dropped imminently,” his attorney, Priya Chaudhry, said.

26 March, 2023 — The US Army pulls recruiting advertisements featuring Mr Majors following the arrest.

18 April, 2023 — Mr Majors’ public relations firm reportedly parts ways with the actor.

27 April, 2023 — Judge grants Grace Jabbari a full temporary order of protection against Mr Majors.

9 May, 2023 — Mr Majors appears in court for the first time.

21 June, 2023 — Mr Majors filed a domestic violence complaint against Ms Jabbari.

25 October, 2023 —  Ms Jabbari is arrested on charges of assault and criminal mischief. The Manhattan DA’s office ultimately decided not to pursue a case against the woman.

29 November, 2023 — Trial begins.

Watch Jonathan Majors leave court

Thursday 7 December 2023 22:30 , Michelle Del Rey

Mr Majors left court with his girlfriend Meagan Good for a lunch break following a third day of testimony from Grace Jabbari.

Jabbari asked about comments she made following the alleged incident

Thursday 7 December 2023 21:06 , Michelle Del Rey

An attorney for Jonathan Majors is now asking Ms Jabbari about comments she made following the alleged incident.

Ms Jabbari said that she thought the initial media attention in response to the case was “overwhelming”, according to The Daily Beast.

Grace Jabbari asks not to watch body-cam footage

Thursday 7 December 2023 20:31 , Michelle Del Rey

Ms Jabbari returned to the courtroom pleading not to watch the body-cam footage from the night of the alleged incident.

“Do I have to?” she asked.

The video was played for her again, before it was shown to the courtroom.

According to The Daily Beast, Ms Jabbari sobbed as it played. In the video, officers are seen speaking to her from inside a closet in Mr Majors’ Manhattan apartment.

“I was trying to sleep and I got sick,” Ms Jabbari is heard saying in the footage.

Jury shown body-camera footage of officers finding Grace Jabbari

Thursday 7 December 2023 20:12 , Michelle Del Rey

Ms Jabbari got emotional on the stand after being asked to watch body-camera footage of officers finding her on the floor of Mr Majors’ Chelsea apartment following the alleged attack.

“I really don’t want to watch it,” the woman said according to The Daily Beast, before requesting a break and heading to the witness room.

The gallery heard her sobbing as she stepped away. Meanwhile, Mr Majors continued looking at the defence table.

Grace Jabbari questioned about sleeping pills she took the night of the alleged attack

Thursday 7 December 2023 19:52 , Michelle Del Rey

Ms Jabbari is now being questioned about the sleeping pills she took on the night of the alleged attack.

The dancer said she got the pills from the drug store CVS, but does not remember the exact type, The Daily Beast reported.

Priya Chaudhry, an attorney for Mr Majors, has previously referred to the tablets as “blue pills”.

The attorney showed Ms Jabbari a photo of a pill bottle and asked her if those were the ones she took. The 30-year-old said she couldn’t confirm, explaining that she did not take the photo.

Ms Chaudhry then asked Ms Jabbari if she told doctors or the DA if she took pain medicine that night. The DA objected to the line questioning, which Judge Michael Gaffey sustained.

Attorneys not to refer to Grace Jabbari as “the victim”

Thursday 7 December 2023 19:15 , Michelle Del Rey

Attorneys in the case are not allowed to refer to Grace Jabbari as “the victim” during the trial, according to CBS News. She can however be referred to as “the victim of X action”.

On Thursday, Judge Michael Gaffey decided that the defence could bring up Ms Jabbari’s prior arrest during the trial, according to a Vulture reporter inside the courtroom.

Ms Jabbari was taken into custody in October after Jonathan Majors filed a cross-complaint against her in June, claiming that she assaulted him. The New York City Police Department authorised her arrest, but the Mahattan District Attorney’s Office ultimately decided not to pursue a case against her.

Court taking a lunch break

Thursday 7 December 2023 18:11 , Michelle Del Rey

The court is taking a lunch break. Grace Jabbari is still on the stand and may be there for the rest of the day once proceedings resume.

The attorney for Jonathan Majors has asked her to clarify little details from the incident, including which hands she used for what actions, The Daily Beast reported.

In one moment, the attorney asked her is she had trouble signing a receipt while at a bar. Ms Jabbari said she didn’t know how to answer the question.

Proceedings will start back up again at 2.15pm ET.

Jonathan Majors’ attorney probes Grace Jabbari about how she takes her tequila shots

Thursday 7 December 2023 18:02 , Michelle Del Rey

Ms Jabbari is back on cross-examination.

Priya Chaudhry, an attorney for Jonathan Majors, has played a video of the 30-year-old running after the actor through Manhattan streets following the alleged altercation, according to The Daily Beast.

This prompted Ms Jabbari to cry while testifying and she asked for a break.

The dancer has said that she went to a bar after the alleged attack because she “didn’t want to be alone.”

While there, Ms Chaudhry asked Ms Jabbari if she “used a lime for her tequila shots”.

At another point during proceedings, jurors saw a video of Ms Jabbari asking strangers for help to call a car home. Ms Chaudry then asks Ms Jabbari if she used both hands to put her hair up.

Photos of Grace Jabbari leaving courtroom on Wednesday after testifying

Thursday 7 December 2023 16:04 , Michelle Del Rey

ICYMI: What happened in court last week? Judge clears courtroom of spectators

Thursday 7 December 2023 12:00 , Michelle Del Rey

The judge in the Jonathan Majors domestic violence trial cleared the New York public courtroom of spectators on 29 November.

According to Deadline, Judge Michael Gaffey allowed Majors’ lawyers to argue behind closed doors that a piece of evidence that is currently under seal should be taken out of the case permanently.

Seth Zuckerman warned the evidence could “taint the jury pool beyond repair for Mr Majors”, adding that his client may face “trial by newspaper”.

Katherine Bolger, a lawyer hired to represent the press, opposed the move to seal evidence, noting that the public had a right to know the evidence in the case.

Majors is charged with misdemeanours including assault and could be sentenced to up to a year in jail if convicted.

Jonathan Majors and Meagan Good at court for beginning of trial

Thursday 7 December 2023 02:00 , Michelle Del Rey

Watch: Grace Jabbari leaves court after first day of evidence

Thursday 7 December 2023 01:00 , Michelle Del Rey

Grace Jabbari is half-way through her second day on the stand in her New York lawsuit against her former partner, Marvel star Jonathan Majors.

Ms Jabbari underwent cross-examination from the actor’s legal team on Wednesday.

Who is Grace Jabbari?

Thursday 7 December 2023 00:00 , Michelle Del Rey

Grace Jabbari, the woman who has accused Jonathan Majors of assault, is a 30-year-old British dancer and movement coach.

She has appeared as a dancer in Barbie, Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One, A Christmas Carol, and Coldplay’s Cry Cry Cry music video, among other projects.

She’s undertaken a couple of Marvel films as a movement coach, including Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. Ms Jabarri and Mr Majors reportedly met on the set of the Wasp.

She originally hails from Reading, England, a city about 36 miles from London. She graduated with a first class bachelor’s degree from Rambert School and obtained another first class master’s degree from Northern School of Contemporary Dance, according to her biography on her dance company’s website.

She’s performed for artists Florence and The Machine, Damien Rice, and Naeem fka Spank Rock.

She has accused Mr Majors of hitting her in the face, twisting her finger and grabbing her neck. His attorney has denied the allegations.

Testimony winds down for the day

Wednesday 6 December 2023 22:51 , Michelle Del Rey

Testimony is winding down for the day. Much of Wednesday’s court proceedings have focused on Grace Jabbari, the ex-girlfriend of Jonathan Majors who said he attacked her in March.

Proceedings will be picking up again on Thursday. The trial is expected to last two weeks. Opening statements were on Monday.

Judge reminds Jonathan Majors to honour temporary order of protection

Wednesday 6 December 2023 22:29 , Michelle Del Rey

Judge Michael Gaffey reminded Mr Majors to continue to honour the temporary order of protection processed in April in relation to his ex-girlfriend, who accused him of assault.

“Yes, your honour,” Mr Majors said, according to people. Judge Gaffey replied, “I know you’re going to abide by it as you have for the [entirety] of the case.”

Judge overrules an objection from Jonathan Majors' attorney

Wednesday 6 December 2023 22:09 , Michelle Del Rey

Priya Chaudhry, the attorney representing Jonathan Majors, asked Grace Jabbari if she’d seen the footage of herself in a club after the alleged incident.

“I’ve seen some, yes - the ones you posted,” the dancer said.

Judge Michael Gaffey then overruled Chaudhry’s objection.

“Giving Majors’ lawyer a look as if to say she’d made her bed,” according to the New York Daily News.

“That one stands,” the judge said.

Jury shown photos of Grace Jabbari’s injuries

Wednesday 6 December 2023 21:49 , Michelle Del Rey

The jury has been shown photos of Grace Jabbari’s injuries, including one where her knuckles look bruised. A defence attorney asked her why there are no photos of the dried blood on her ear, which the dancer spoke about on Wednesday morning.

Ms Jabbari said she cleaned her ear before authorities arrived at the Chelsea apartment. However, the jury was shown a photo of a cut behind her ear, according to reporters from The Daily Beast and NY Daily News inside the courtroom.