Jonathan Majors trial - live: Ex-girlfriend Grace Jabbari grilled on assault claims in cross-examination

Grace Jabbari, the woman who has accused Jonathan Majors of attacking her in March, took the stand in the assault trial on Tuesday.

She was the second witness to testify in the case. Her testimony is expected to continue on Wednesday.

According to a Vulture report, she entered the courtroom through a side door and smiled at her family. Mr Majors was seen looking at her as she was sworn in.

So far, the woman has described how she met the actor on the set of Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania in September of 2021. The two began a whirlwind romance, she said, with the actor telling her he loved her early on in the relationship.

Ms Jabbari has accused Mr Majors of slapping her, throwing her into the car after she exited it, twisting her arm and grabbing and injuring her hand. Prosecutors say that she was treated at a hospital for minor injuries to her head and neck, which included a cut to her ear.

Mr Majors has pleaded not guilty to the charges and has been supported in court by his current girlfriend Meagan Good as the trial got underway.

Opening statements began on Monday (5 December) with prosecutors accusing Mr Majors of a “manipulative pattern of psychological abuse” and physical abuse in the lead-up to the alleged assault. Prosecutors also zeroed in on claims that Mr Majors was cheating on Ms Jabbari.

The defence, however, honed in on the narrative that Mr Majors was in fact the victim of an attack by Ms Jabbari.

The trial continues on Wednesday.

Key points

• Opening statements to begin today

• 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

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.

Grace Jabbari says Jonathan Majors ‘knows what he’s done'

Wednesday 6 December 2023 21:23 , Michelle Del Rey

“He knows what he’s done: He’s cheated on me, he’s attacked me,” Ms Jabbari said on the stand on Wednesday.

The morning after the alleged March altercation, the dancer said she reached out to Mr Majors for closure.

“I think I’d made a really clear determination in my mind that this was not a good relationship,” she said in a Manhattan courtroom, according to People.

Mr Majors was arrested in the incident after he called 911 because he couldn’t get into his Chelsea apartment.

“I loved him still, it was so confusing and I didn’t want to get him in trouble,” Jabbari said.

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

Wednesday 6 December 2023 21:03 , 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.”

Grace Jabbari asked about the suicide of one of her ex-boyfriends

Wednesday 6 December 2023 20:45 , Michelle Del Rey

Jonathan Majors’ attorney, Priya Chaudry, asked Ms Jabbari about the suicide of one of her ex-boyfriends which caused the dancer to tear up and leave the witness stand.

Ms Chaudry sustained an objection to the question.

Jonathan Majors attorney asked Grace Jabbari about her immigration status

Wednesday 6 December 2023 20:20 , Michelle Del Rey

Ms Jabbari faced repeated questions from Jonathan Majors’ attorney, Priya Chaudry, about her immigration status.

The dancer, 30, is originally from the United Kingdom.

Ms Chaudry sustained repeated objections from the judge, according to Courthouse News. The attorney also asked Ms Chaudry about her cooperation with the Manhattan District Attorney’s office.

Grace Jabbari back on the stand

Wednesday 6 December 2023 20:00 , Michelle Del Rey

Ms Jabbari is back on the stand following a lunch break.

She is now undergoing cross-examination.

“Isn’t it true you were screaming at Mr. Majors when you turned the corner at Howard and Lafayette?” Priya Chaudry, an attorney for Jonathan Majors asked the dancer.

It appears as though she is trying to introduce surveillance footage of their alleged fight on the night of 25 March 2023.

Trial to resume shortly

Wednesday 6 December 2023 19:40 , Michelle Del Rey

The Jonathan Majors assault trial is expected to resume shortly.

The court took a break around 12pm ET.

Much of the day so far has focused on Grace Jabbari’s testimony and cross examination, which may continue after the break.

Grace Jabbari asked about drinking

Wednesday 6 December 2023 18:01 , Mike Bedigan

Before court finished for lunch, Grace Jabbari was about her drinking.

Priya Chaudhry asked her if it was a source of tension in her relationship with Jonathan Majors, specifying a situation at Sag Harbour in New York.

Ms Jabbari was asked if the pair had had “a discussion that caused you to leave and go to the beach [with] a bottle of wine?” according to a reporter from Vulture.

Proceedings will resume at 2.15pm ET.

Grace Jabbari cross-examination begins

Wednesday 6 December 2023 17:29 , Mike Bedigan

Cross-examination began with somewhat of a back and forth between Priya Chaudhry, representing Jonathan Majors, and Ms Jabbari.

Ms Chaudhry was told several times by the judge that the scope of her questions is too broad.

The topic of questions turned to Mr Majors’ background: his masters qaulification from Yale acting school and his faith (the actor is Christian and travels with a Bible).

Ms Jabbari was asked if she prayed with Mr Majors during their relationship.

Grace Jabbari said she found the arrival of officers a chance to have ‘help in leaving the relationship'

Wednesday 6 December 2023 16:56 , Michelle Del Rey

“I wanted to say: ‘help me, please’” Ms Jabbari said about her interaction with officers following the night the alleged assault took place.

“I was just really scared, but I just desperately needed help to someone just to get me out,” Vulture quoted Ms Jabbari as saying.

Even so, the woman said she was worried about being completely honest about what allegedly transpired that evening.

When asked why, Ms Jabbari said, “I think just things he had told me in the past of not trusting police, and what they would do to him, as a Black man, and I didn’t want to put him in that situation.”

Ms Jabbari was then taken to the hospital, where she said she underwent a variety of medical assessments.

Upon learning that Mr Majors had been arrested at some point that evening, she said she felt “sad” and “like it was my fault”.

Adding: “I should of just lied and said nothing happened”.

Grace Jabbari is now describing what happened after the alleged assault

Wednesday 6 December 2023 16:30 , Michelle Del Rey

“He was kind of saying that he didn’t do anything, that he loved me,” Ms Jabbari said while on the stand, explaining how she wanted Mr Majors to come over and explain his actions.

He did not, she said.

That evening, she said she decided to sleep but because of the pain from the alleged assault she couldn’t lie on her right side.

“I just felt hideous,” she said. “Often when I can’t sleep I take a sleeping tablet or two,” she said, according to Vulture.

Ms Jabbari explained to the courtroom how she took two over the counter sleeping tablets that evening.

Priya Chaudhry, an attorney for Mr Majors, has previously stated that Ms Jabbari took “blue pills” alluding to the woman potentially having taken controlled substances following a night out.

Speaking of the injury to her head, she said she noticed the laceration as she was trying to sleep because some of her hair was stuck behind her ear because of the dried blood, she said.

By that point, she said her finger had turned black.

Ms Jabbari then said she decided to leave the apartment, but was exhausted and decided to rest on the bathroom floor.

When she woke up, she said, she was half-naked and surrounded by a group of officers she described as “big men”. During this, she said she could her Mr Majors in the next room.

Grace Jabbari is now describing what happened after the alleged assault

Wednesday 6 December 2023 16:20 , Michelle Del Rey

“He was kind of saying that he didn’t do anything, that he loved me,” Ms Jabbari said while on the stand, explaining how she wanted Mr Majors to come over and explain his actions.

He did not, she said.

That evening, she said she decided to sleep but because of the pain from the alleged assault she couldn’t lie on her right side.

“I just felt hideous,” she said. “Often when I can’t sleep I take a sleeping tablet or two,” she said, according to Vulture.

Ms Jabbari explained to the courtroom how she took two over the counter sleeping tablets that evening.

Priya Chaudhry, an attorney for Mr Majors, has previously stated that Ms Jabbari took “blue pills” alluding to the woman potentially having taken controlled substances following a night out.

Speaking of the injury to her head, she said she noticed the laceration as she was trying to sleep because some of her hair was stuck behind her ear because of the dried blood, she said.

By that point, she said her finger had turned black.

Grace Jabbari describes returning home the night of the alleged assault

Wednesday 6 December 2023 15:56 , Michelle Del Rey

Ms Jabbari has taken the stand again on Wednesday morning.

Describing the aftermath of the incident, she said she arrived back at Mr Majors’ Chelsea apartment, took off her shoes and coat, grabbed her water and went to bed.

At this point, she said the pain still wasn’t registering, explaining how her experience as a dancer has taught her to withstand pain.

“Again it was kind of like this full-bodied experience of shock,” Ms Jabbari said, according to Vulture.

She did say that her finger had changed colour and was kind of red.

“I was really aware that something was not right,” the woman said.

Jonathan Majors and Meagan Good enter courtroom

Wednesday 6 December 2023 15:35 , Michelle Del Rey

The Marvel star has entered the courtroom for another day of proceedings in Manhattan. He appears to be sporting a black suit, white shirt, a Bible and notebook.

Mr Majors’ Bible has been seen with him for much of the trial. On Tuesday, he was spotted reading passages from it, according to Vulture.

Actress Meagan Good is wearing a black pantsuit. She has accompanied her rumoured boyfriend, Mr Majors, to court throughout the proceedings.

Trial to continue this morning

Wednesday 6 December 2023 15:15 , Michelle Del Rey

The Independent’s live blog coverage of the Jonathan Majors assault trial will continue this morning.

Stay tuned for updates.

Jonathan Majors demanded ‘total compliance’ from ex-girlfriend

Wednesday 6 December 2023 14:00 , Michelle Del Rey

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 recounts how she met Jonathan Majors

Wednesday 6 December 2023 10:00 , Michelle Del Rey

Grace Jabbari testified in Jonathan Majors’ assault trial on Tuesday. She described how the pair met on the UK set of Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania in 2021 September.

She described their romance as whirlwind, adding that the actor told her “I love you” early on and wrote her little poems.

However, things changed in December of that year when she went to visit him in Atlanta.

Upon arrival, the dancer said Majors gave her instructions on how to interact with his dogs. She responded by saying that her only prior interaction with a dog was with her ex boyfriend.

Majors allegedly got angry at the remark, according to Vulture.

“He got angry at me…how dare I mention him, how dare I talk about his dog...talking about the physical appearance of my ex...”, she said during testimony, according to the outlet.

He then allegedly started “talking about how it’s embarrassing for him that I dated him.” Jabbari said, adding that Majors’ described her ex’s dog as “pathetic” in a raised voice. After that interaction, she said she knew not to mention her ex again.

Watch: Jonathan Majors arrives at New York court ahead of trial

Wednesday 6 December 2023 08:00 , Michelle Del Rey

What are the charges against Jonathan Majors?

Wednesday 6 December 2023 06:00 , Michelle Del Rey

Jonathan Majors is facing misdemeanor assault and harassment charges for allegedly attacking his ex-girlfriend Grace Jabbari on 25 March.

New York City police responded to an emergency call at Mr Majors’ Chelsea apartment that morning. They determined he had been involved in a “domestic dispute” with a woman, later identified as Ms Jabbari.

Ms Jabbari told officials that she had been assaulted and was taken to a local hospital with minor injuries to her head and neck. Meanwhile, Mr Majors was detained until he was released without bond later that same day.

If convicted, the actor faces up to a year in prison.

Here’s everything we know about the Jonathan Majors trial

Wednesday 6 December 2023 00:27 , Michelle Del Rey

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.

Read more from Andrea Cavallier here.

Jonathan Majors once referred to himself as a ‘monster’ Grace Jabbari said

Tuesday 5 December 2023 22:57 , Michelle Del Rey

Ms Jabbari said that her ex-boyfriend Jonathan Majors allegedly referred to himself as a “monster” while describing an alleged incident in which the actor threw candles and became aggressive.

“He just exploded”, she said, describing an altercation that allegedly occurred in July 2022. Ms Jabbari showed jurors of a wall that she said had been dented in the episode, the New York Post reported.

In that moment she said she felt “scared” knowing she needed to “calm him down because I just wanted it to stop.”

After that, she said the actor started “really crying, shaking and crying.”

Testimony has ended for the day

Tuesday 5 December 2023 21:27 , Michelle Del Rey

Grace Jabbari is done testifying in the misdemeanour sexual assault case, but she will be back on the stand tomorrow morning.

Court has adjounred for the day. Please check back here tomorrow for more updates.

Prosecutors ask why Grace Jabbari allegedly went out partying on the night of the incident

Tuesday 5 December 2023 21:10 , Michelle Del Rey

Prosecutors tried to make the connection that Ms Jabbari only went out with strangers she met on the street after the alleged altercation because she wanted to be consoled and didn’t want to go home alone.

When asked how she could’ve gone out while being in pain, the woman said she felt the pain but it didn’t register, according to Vulture.

She said she had “danced on pointe shoes my whole life, danced with a broken rib. I just didn’t feel it...”

Grace Jabbari now describing March incident

Tuesday 5 December 2023 20:18 , Michelle Del Rey

Grace Jabbari is back on the stand after court resumed following a lunch break.

She’s currently discussing the incident at the centre of the trial, which occurred on 25 March 2023. She said that morning she and Jonathan Majors enjoyed brunch and walked around.

She described the day as “really nice, really loving and sweet...a really nice day,” according to Vulture.

However, when the pair left the actor’s apartment that evening his mood changed. While they were in the elevator on their way to Mr Majors’ car, she said he made a comment about her appearance, stating that she had too many buttons undone and requested that she redo the buttons.

She buttoned one up, she said, adding “something had shifted.”

Meagan Good returns to courtroom for another day of testimony

Tuesday 5 December 2023 20:00 , Michelle Del Rey

Meagan Good, the actress rumoured to be Jonathan Majors’ girlfriend, has reportedly been spotted at the Manhattan courtroom where his misdemeanour assault trial is taking place.

The actress has accompanied the actor throughout the proceedings. On Monday, Mr Majors was seen entering the courtroom with his mother and Ms Good by his side.

He faces up to a year in jail if convicted.

Court has adjourned for a break

Tuesday 5 December 2023 19:40 , Michelle Del Rey

Court has appeared to have adjourned for a break but proceedings are expected to continue later on in the day.

Jonathan Majors arrives at court for second day of testimony

Tuesday 5 December 2023 19:20 , Michelle Del Rey

Jonathan Majors arrived at a Manhattan courthouse for a second day of testimony in his assault case.

He was spotted in a grey suit with a notebook and his Bible, which he has brought to court repeatedly over the last week.

The actor appeared to be reading the holy book in the courtroom, according to Victoria Bekiempis, a reporter for Vulture, though it’s not clear which passages he was going over. He was seen tracing the verses with a finger.

Court proceedings started around 10am

Grace Jabbari describes an alleged incident where Jonathan Majors ripped out her headphones

Tuesday 5 December 2023 17:58 , Michelle Del Rey

While on the stand, Grace Jabbari described an incident where Jonathan Majors allegedly ripped her headphones out of her ears. She said the alternation happened in September of 2022, according to Vulture.

She said that Mr Majors got mad at her after she brought a female friend back to their home after going to the pub. She left after the argument but returned when she received texts from the actor professing his love and stating how he wanted to marry her.

Still, Ms Jabbari said Mr Majors allegedly told her not to tell anyone about his intentions because it would ruin his plan for them.

When she returned, she said Mr Majors got angry again, which she recorded. On Tuesday, jurors heard a recording of the incident Ms Jabbari described.

Separately, Ms Jabbari said that Mr Majors allegedly threatened suicide after getting angry at her and that he made similar threats on more than one occasion.

She put his emotional needs first, she said, which made her draw further into the relationship. As a result, she pulled away from friends and her family.

“I felt really dependent on him,” she said, explaining how her confidence sank. “I felt like every time I saw them I was lying to them.”

Grace Jabbari speaks about how she first met Jonathan Majors

Tuesday 5 December 2023 17:24 , Michelle Del Rey

Grace Jabbari spoke about how she met Jonathan Majors during his assault trial on Tuesday.

She answered questions from Manhattan Assistant District Attorney Kelli Galaway. According to ABC News, the dancer wore plaid pants and a plaid jacket while providing testimony.

She introduced herself to the jury by saying, “I am Grace Jabbari, nice to meet you. I’m a professional dancer.”

Ms Jabbari’s family sat in the front row, on the opposite side of the aisle from Majors’ family.

While on set in Pinewood, United Kingdom for Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, the woman said the actor came over to her and asked what she was doing there.

“Oh I’m a dancer, I’m working on movement,” she recalled telling him.

Mr Majors’ hairstylist subsequently slipped her his number and the couple went on their first date.

“We spent every day together, maybe minus a few, within the next few months,” the outlet quoted Ms Jabbari as saying in the courtroom. “I felt very loved and cared for”.

Grace Jabbari seen choking up while on the stand

Tuesday 5 December 2023 16:44 , Michelle Del Rey

According to Vulture, Grace Jabbari was seen choking up while on the stand as prosecutors asked her about her relationship with Jonathan Majors.

She discussed how Mr Majors allegedly got angry with her while she was at the Glastonbury music festival for having poor cell service and a 2022 incident during which Mr Majors allegedly threw things during an argument.

Ms Jabbari has previously claimed that Mr Majors threw things during an argument.

Grace Jabbari recalls how she met Jonathan Majors

Tuesday 5 December 2023 16:24 , Michelle Del Rey

Grace Jabbari is now testifying in Jonathan Majors’ assault trial. So far, she’s described how the pair met on the UK set of Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania in 2021 September.

She described their romance as whirlwind, adding that the actor told her “I love you” early on and wrote her little poems.

However, things changed in December of that year when she went to visit him in Atlanta.

Upon arrival, the dancer said Majors gave her instructions on how to interact with his dogs. She responded by saying that her only prior interaction with a dog was with her ex boyfriend.

Majors allegedly got angry at the remark, according to Vulture.

“He got angry at me…how dare I mention him, how dare I talk about his dog...talking about the physical appearance of my ex...”, she said during testimony, according to the outlet.

He then allegedly started “talking about how it’s embarrassing for him that I dated him.” Jabbari said, adding that Majors’ described her ex’s dog as “pathetic” in a raised voice. After that interaction, she said she knew not to mention her ex again.

Prosecutors call Grace Jabbari to the stand

Tuesday 5 December 2023 15:40 , Michelle Del Rey

Grace Jabbari, the woman who says Jonathan Majors attacked her, is about to take the stand in the case.

Opening statements began on Monday

Tuesday 5 December 2023 14:00 , Michelle Del Rey

Opening statements in the Jonathan Majors trial occurred on Monday. Court watchers previously expected opening statements to start on Thursday last week.

On Tuesday, the trial is set to continue with more witnesses. So far, only one person has testified in the sexual assault case.

Jonathan Majors arrives at court New York courtroom with Meagan Good

Tuesday 5 December 2023 12:00 , Michelle Del Rey

The actress Meagan Good arrived at a Manhattan courtroom to support her boyfriend, Jonathan Majors, for a second time last week. The couple were seen walking hand-in-hand. Mr Majors was spotted wearing a fedora hat with a feather and a double-breasted suit.

The couple walked out of the courtroom around 9.40am ET on Friday. Judge Michael Gaffey decided on the admissibility of evidence ahead of jury selection.

Ms Good has starred in several films, including Deliver Us from Eva, Roll Bounce and Stomp the Yard.

Court proceedings finished for the day

Monday 4 December 2023 21:35 , Michelle Del Rey

Court proceedings in the Jonathan Majors assault trial have ended for the day. The jury is set to arrive tomorrow morning for the continuation of the trial, set to last for two weeks.

Opening arguments happened on Monday morning and only one witness testified in the afternoon.

First witness testifies in trial

Monday 4 December 2023 21:14 , Michelle Del Rey

Ryan Strick, a digital evidence analyst for the Manhattan District Attorney’s office, is the first witness to testify in the trial. He created a video compilation of surveillance footage from the area where the alleged assault took place.

The video has been admitted into evidence, according to Vulture.

Some of the discussion during the trial has centered on how photos of iMessages involved in the assault were processed and examined. The analyst said he did not alter the messages.

Witnesses set to take stand in trial

Monday 4 December 2023 20:47 , Michelle Del Rey

Witnesses are expected to take the stand shortly. The driver in the SUV the couple was in during their altercation will be testifying for the prosecution.

Opening arguments in the case happened this morning before the court adjourned for a break.

Defence team hints that Grace Jabbari is seen as the victim out of racism

Monday 4 December 2023 20:30 , Michelle Del Rey

The proceedings are “saturated with explicit and implicit bias”, Priya Chaudry, an attorney for Jonathan Majors, said previously while discussing proceedings, according to a Vulture report.

On Monday, she described her client as the victim in the altercation. She described the actor as “a Black man who found his girlfriend unconscious in his closet, in America, called the police for help” and was arrested when the arrived at his home.

Jonathan Majors demanded ‘total compliance’ from ex-girlfriend

Monday 4 December 2023 20:05 , Mike Bedigan

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.”

Jonathan Majors engaged in ‘psychological and physical abuse’, court hears

Monday 4 December 2023 19:46 , Mike Bedigan

During opening statements prosecutors alleged that the Marvel star had attacked his former girlfriend Grace Jabbari “to cover up his infidelity”.

Mr Majors engaged in a “cruel and manipulative pattern of psychological and physical abuse” throughout their relationship of two years and used “physical violence against her to manipulate her, control her, and physically hurt her,” Prosecutor Michael Perez told jurors on Monday morning.

Following an alleged row over a text message, Mr Majors “began grabbing at Ms Jabbari’s body. He pulled her right arm behind her back and twisted it … he struck a blow that struck across the right side of her head,” Mr Perez said.

Ms Jabbari suffered bruising, swelling, “substantial pain,” and a broken finger, the court heard.

ICYMI: Who is Grace Jabbari?

Monday 4 December 2023 19:00 , 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.

Who is on the jury?

Monday 4 December 2023 18:40 , Michelle Del Rey

There are six members of the jury, including two women and two men, and two alternates.

The members were chosen out of a group of 44, which included the Sopranos actor Yul Vazquez. Four of them are people of colour, although no Black men were selected to decide Mr Majors’ fate.

The trial is expected to last for two weeks.

Jonathan Majors appears at court with Bible

Monday 4 December 2023 18:00 , Michelle Del Rey

Jonathan Majors appeared at the court with his Bible, which has been with him ever since the start of the trial, according to a reporter for Vulture.

He also brought a notebook and a cup. Mr Majors was seen taking diligent notes last week during proceedings, particularly jury selection. About 44 panelists were widdled down to six jurours, including two alternates.

Attorney for Jonathan Majors said case is not about a crime committed by her client

Monday 4 December 2023 17:40 , Michelle Del Rey

“We’re not here because of what happened in the car,” Priya Chaudry, an attorney representing Jonathan Majors, said.

“This is the case about the end of a relationship.”

Not “about a crime, at least not one that Mr Majors committed,” she said, according to the New York Post.

During opening statements, the attorney claimed that Grace Jabbari essentially lied to police and blamed the actor for the incident because she was upset about him breaking up with her, disrupting their plans to start a family together.

Judge Michael Gaffey instructed Ms Chaudry to wrap up her remarks.

The court has adjourned until 2.15pm ET.

Attorney for Jonathan Majors begins opening statements by claiming he was assaulted during the incident

Monday 4 December 2023 17:20 , Michelle Del Rey

Priya Chaudry, an attorney representing Jonathan Majors, said her client emerged from the SUV “bloodied” after the couple’s row, forcing Mr Majors to go to a hotel to hide as Grace Jabbari chased him through the streets of Manhattan.

“He was scared of her and ran away from her”, the attorney said according to the New York Post.

“Within minutes the bloodied person goes to a hotel to hide, and the other one goes clubbing for hours,” Chaudhry said, referencing a video of Ms Jabbari apparently partying after the alleged assault took place.

Prosecutors say they’ll provide evidence of other instances of alleged abuse

Monday 4 December 2023 17:00 , Michelle Del Rey

Prosecutors have said that they’ll be providing evidence of other instances of alleged abuse against Grace Jabbari, including incidents where Jonathan Majors allegedly threw household items at a wall and yanked her headphones out while she was running and berated her.

Furthermore, prosecutors say they have a recording of Mr Majors telling Ms Jabbari she needs to live up to the standard of Coretta Scott King, the wife of Martin Luther King Jr

In the recording, the actor can be heard telling Ms Jabbari, “I am a great man! I am a great man!” according to the New York Post.

The outlet reported that the recording has not yet been entered into evidence.

The defence will start giving their opening statements shortly.

Prosecution gives opening statements

Monday 4 December 2023 16:35 , Michelle Del Rey

Jonathan Majors is guilty of a “cruel and manipulative pattern of psychological and physical abuse that culminated in the end of their relationship,” the prosecution said during opening statements on Monday, according to the New York Post.

The actor hit his ex-girlfriend Grace Jabbari numerous times on 25 March 2023 after they started fighting over a text message sent to him from someone named “Cleopatra”, the outlet reported Assistant District Attorney Michael Perez as saying in a Manhattan courtroom.

What’s more, the text included a link to the song “Lady” by D’Angelo and said “I wish I was kissing you right now”.

Jury enters courtroom ahead of opening arguments

Monday 4 December 2023 15:59 , Michelle Del Rey

Jury has now entered the courtroom. Opening arguments are expected to commence today. There are six jurors, three women and three men, and two alternates.

Four of them are people of colour, although no Black men were selected.

Judge grants request to dismiss four counts

Monday 4 December 2023 15:36 , Michelle Del Rey

Judge Michael Gaffey has approved a request by the prosecution to dismiss four counts in the case.

The prosecution said that some of them likely would have merged at the end of the trial anyway “due to the nature of the injuries and the facts that we’re alleging in this particular case,” Vulture reports.

The defence team did not object to the request and it was subsequently granted by the presiding judge. There are now three counts in the case, two assault, including one reckless and one inentional, in addition to one aggravated harassment count.

All of the counts are misdemeanours.

ICYMI: What are the charges against Jonathan Majors?

Monday 4 December 2023 15:00 , Michelle Del Rey

Jonathan Majors is facing misdemeanor assault and harassment charges for allegedly attacking his ex-girlfriend Grace Jabbari on 25 March.

New York City police responded to an emergency call at Mr Majors’ Chelsea apartment that morning. They determined he had been involved in a “domestic dispute” with a woman, later identified as Ms Jabbari.

Ms Jabbari told officials that she had been assaulted and was taken to a local hospital with minor injuries to her head and neck. Meanwhile, Mr Majors was detained until he was released without bond later that same day.

If convicted, the actor faces up to a year in prison.

Jonathan Majors arrives at court for opening arguments

Monday 4 December 2023 14:42 , Megan Sheets

Jonathan Majors has arrived at the New York City courthouse where opening arguments are about to begin in his assault trial.

Photos posted to social media showed the actor dressed in a blue coat and beret as he walked up to the courthouse in lower Manhattan.

He appeared to be accompanied by his girlfriend Meagan Good, as he was during jury selection last week.

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

Monday 4 December 2023 11:40 , Rachel Sharp

The judge in the Jonathan Majors domestic violence trial is clearing the New York public courtroom of spectators this afternoon (29 November).

According to Deadline, Judge Michael Gaffey will allow 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.

Read more:

Jonathan Majors: Judge in domestic violence trial clears courtroom

Opening statements to begin in Marvel star’s assault case

Monday 4 December 2023 10:37 , Rachel Sharp

Opening statements are set to begin this morning in Marvel star Jonathan Majors’ domestic violence trial.

The actor is on trial in New York City, after he was charged over allegedly attacking his former girlfriend, Grace Jabbari, back on 25 March.

After the jury was selected last week, the prosecution and defence are expected to deliver opening statements in court on Monday morning.

The trial is expected to last around two weeks.

Opening statements to begin Monday

Friday 1 December 2023 13:15 , Megan Sheets

The jury in Jonathan Majors’ assault trial was chosen on Thursday, paving the way for opening arguments to begin next week.

The Independent will be back to cover the openings on Monday.

Sopranos star dropped from jury pool

Friday 1 December 2023 12:53 , Rachel Sharp

Jury selection began on Thursday, after a panel of 40 were sworn in on Wednesday.

Sopranos actor Yul Vazquez was among potential jurors who were questioned in the courtroom.

But he was cut from the pool whne he said he had doubts about judging another person for fear “that someone would do that to me one day”, The Messenger reported.

A panel of 12 was then selected.

Loki producer explains decision to keep Jonathan Majors in Marvel show after arrest

Friday 1 December 2023 04:00 , Michelle Del Rey

Loki producer explains decision to keep Jonathan Majors in Marvel show after arrest

What are the accusations against Jonathan Majors?

Friday 1 December 2023 01:00 , Michelle Del Rey

Mr Majors is accused of attacking his former girlfriend inside a chauffered car in New York City on 25 March as they rode to his apartment.

The girlfriend has accused him of slapping her, throwing her into the car after she exited it, twisting her arm and grabbing and injuring her hand. Prosecutors say that she was treated at a hospital for minor injuries to her head and neck, which included a cut to her ear.

The alleged victim told officers that she was assaulted and taken to the hospital with “minor injuries to her head and neck” after an alleged altercation inside the vehicle.

Lawyers for Mr Majors claim that it was the former girlfriend who assaulted the actor, and “not the other way around.”

He has been charged with misdemeanour assault, aggravated harassment, attempted assault and harassment charges. He has pleaded not guilty to all charges and faces a year in prison if convicted.

In April, the alleged victim was granted a temporary order of protection, which means that she and Mr Majors can not have any contact. The order is still in place.

The alleged victim was arrested on 26 October after Mr Majors in June filed a counter-claim against her. She was charged with assault and criminal mischief in connection to the March incident, according to the New York Police Department.

Mr Majors claimed the “drunk and hysterical” woman caused him pain and bleeding after the alleged assault, according to a sworn affidavit obtained by Insider.

Ultimately, the Manhattan District Attorney’s office said it had “declined to prosecute the case...because it lacks prosecutorial merit.”

That matter is now closed and sealed.

‘Sopranos’ actor not chosen in jury selection

Friday 1 December 2023 00:00 , Michelle Del Rey

Actor Yul Vazquez of Sopranos, Severance, and White House Plumbers was dismissed on Thursday during the selection process, according to The Messenger.

The outlet reported Mr Vazquez and fellow actor Mr Majors sharing a moment in the courtroom.

The potential juror showed concern about judging another person saying, “someone would do that to me one day.” Mr Majors apparently responded with a “hmm”.

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

Thursday 30 November 2023 23:01 , Michelle Del Rey

Priya Chaudhry, an attorney representing Jonathan Majors in the case, reportedly asked the juror panelists if they could “promise that you can presume that Mr Majors is innocent even though he’s a celebrity?” according to the New York Post.

The panelists responded that they could. Six jurors, three women and three men, and two alternates have been chosen for the jury. Four of them are people of colour, although no Black men were selected. Opening statements are set to begin on Monday.

Who is Jonathan Majors?

Thursday 30 November 2023 21:50 , Michelle Del Rey

Jonathan Majors, 34, has starred in movies such as, Creed lll , Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, and The Last Black Man in San Francisco.

He’s originally from Dallas, Texas. He received his bachelor’s degree in acting from the University of North Carolina School of the Arts. While studying, he appeared in numerous theatre productions, including a production of William Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing, according to Rotten Tomatoes.

After completing his bachelor’s degree, Mr Majors went on to pursue a master’s degree from Yale University. He later became a part of the Chautauqua Theatre Company in New York before his film career took off.

His first on-screen credit was the ABC miniseries When We Rise.

Mr Majors has been nominated for a Gotham Award in the “breakthrough actor” category and an Independent Spirit Award for “best supporting male,” his biography states.