Marvel star Jonathan Majors’ assault trial has reached its end with a verdict from a six-person New York jury. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the actor was found guilty of one count of reckless assault in the third degree and harassment, and he was found not guilty of aggravated harassment and intentional assault in the third degree.
The jury reportedly deliberated for four hours over two days, beginning on Friday. Major’s sentencing is scheduled for Tuesday, Feb. 6, and he faces up to one year in jail.
Black Twitter Gon Black Twitter
With a guilty verdict reached, Black Twitter has been trending with opinions and hot takes on what will happen for Black Hollywood’s leading men next. The Black music industry is already being affected by allegations of bad behavior, and Marvel has since fired Majors from his role as Kang The Conqueror.
And now social media users predict that Majors’ guilty verdict will lead to major changes for Black men in Hollywood.
“Tory Lanez: Guilty, Jonathan Majors: Guilty,” wrote one poster who included a smiling gif with their post on X.
Another user on X added more context, “The ‘y’all owe jonathan majors an apology’ crowd is suddenly very quiet... could it be y’all realized how fucking stupid you sounded defending this man? try eating sh*t”
And it wouldn’t be Black Twitter without at least one joke
“Congrats to Damson Idris for his new role as Kang,” wrote one X user.
Another user commented on the quick rise and fall of his career, writing on X, “I remember seeing 3 trailers in a row at the theater for Jonathan Majors movies and now we’ll probably never see this man again lol he really threw his whole career away.”
Alongside video of an explosion, someone else wondered about his career prospects, posting on X, “The Speed of Jonathan Majors career arc has been astounding.”
How Did We Get Here?
The “Loki” star’s two counts of assault in the third degree, harassment and aggravated harassment stems from a March 25 “domestic dispute” with his ex-girlfriend Grace Jabbari. During her testimony, Jabbari revealed that the argument started when Majors received a text message from another woman while they were riding in the back of a private car. Once the driver pulled over, the actor exited the vehicle, with Jabbari following him. He allegedly tried to shove her back into the car.
As previously reported by The Root, the “Creed III” star called 911 the next morning—his lawyers said he was concerned for Jabbari’s mental state. The responding officers testified that “she was scared” and that “there was a domestic incident that had occurred.”
When asked about her injuries, Jabbari explained that she was in pain, but “was choosing to ignore it.” However, the next day, she “felt like I had been hit by a bus.”
Jabbari’s attorney Ross Kramer released a statement after the verdict. In addition to thanking the judge and jury for their “patience,” and that they hope the guilty verdict “will inspire other survivors to speak their truth.”
“We are gratified to see justice served by today’s guilty verdict,” the statement read. “Ms. Jabbari testified publicly and truthfully, even though reliving these traumatic events on the witness stand was obviously painful. We are grateful to the jurors and the Judge for their attention and patience, and to the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office for their hard work and support.”
“Ms. Jabbari’s resolve to see this case through to the end demonstrates her tremendous strength and resilience,” the statement continues. “Unfortunately, for every survivor like Ms. Jabbari who comes forward to hold their abuser accountable, there are many others who believe that they cannot. We hope that her actions will inspire other survivors to speak their truth and seek justice.”
Manhattan district attorney Alvin Bragg also released a statement on the verdict:
“At the Manhattan D.A.’s Office, we are committed to centering survivors in all of our work. 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,” Bragg said. “Today, a jury determined that pattern of abuse and coercion culminated with Mr. Majors assaulting and harassing his girlfriend. We thank the jury for its service and the survivor for bravely telling her story despite having to relive her trauma on the stand.”