A Timeline of Jonathan Majors' Legal Troubles: From His March Arrest to Assault Trial (original) (raw)

Jonathan Majors' trial has come to an end.

On Dec. 18, 2023, the Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania actor was found guilty of misdemeanor assault in the third degree recklessly causing physical injury and harassment in the second degree, which is a violation. On April 8, 2024, Majors was sentenced to one year of an "in person batterers" intervention program in Los Angeles.

The verdict came after Majors was arrested in New York City for an alleged domestic dispute involving him and another woman, according to police. Shortly after, he was charged with multiple misdemeanor counts of assault and harassment, according to PEOPLE-obtained documents from the Manhattan District Attorney's office.

In the months following his arrest, Majors was dropped from various projects. Additionally, the public relations company representing Majors parted ways with the actor.

In a statement obtained by PEOPLE following his hearing in May, Majors' attorney Priya Chaudhry said that her team had provided the Manhattan District Attorney's office with "irrefutable evidence" that the alleged victim in the March 25 incident that led to his arrest "is lying" about the facts of the case, calling the assault case a "witch hunt" against the actor.

Here's a timeline of Majors' recent controversies, including his legal woes.

March 25, 2023: Jonathan Majors is arrested after an alleged domestic dispute

On March 25, Majors was arrested in New York City for an alleged domestic dispute.

"A preliminary investigation determined that a 33-year-old male was involved in a domestic dispute with a 30-year-old female," the NYPD said in a statement given to PEOPLE. "The victim informed police she was assaulted. Officers placed the 33-year-old male into custody without incident. The victim sustained minor injuries to her head and neck and was removed to an area hospital in stable condition."

Majors was identified by the police and was listed as charged with strangulation, assault, and harassment. The victim was not identified.

A rep for Majors told PEOPLE, "He has done nothing wrong. We look forward to clearing his name and clearing this up."

March 26, 2023: Jonathan Majors is charged with assault and harassment

Jonathan Majors. Jon Kopaloff/WireImage

A day later, Majors was charged with multiple misdemeanor counts of assault and harassment, per Variety. In PEOPLE obtained documents from the Manhattan District Attorney's office, Majors was charged with 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, after he was arrested for an alleged domestic dispute.

March 26, 2023: Jonathan Majors' lawyer releases a statement

Following his arrest, Chaudhry maintained in a statement shared with PEOPLE that the actor is "completely innocent and is probably 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," Chaudhry stated. "This evidence includes video footage from the vehicle where this episode took place, witness testimony from the driver and others who both saw and heard the episode, and most importantly, two written statements from the woman recanting these allegations."

March 26, 2023: Jonathan Majors' U.S. Army recruitment ads are paused after his arrest

Shortly after the arrest, the U.S. Army paused new advertising featuring Majors.

"The U.S. Army is aware of the arrest of Jonathan Majors and we are deeply concerned by the allegations surrounding his arrest," Laura DeFrancisco, public affairs chief for the Army Enterprise Marketing Office, said in a statement to PEOPLE.

"We recently released two ads in which Mr. Majors appears. While Mr. Majors is innocent until proven guilty, prudence dictates that we pull our ads until the investigation into these allegations is complete."

March 30, 2023: Jonathan Majors' lawyer shares texts from the alleged victim about allegations

Majors' lawyer continued to maintain his innocence, disclosing alleged text messages that they claim show the unidentified woman "disavowed any allegations" against the Marvel actor.

In the alleged text exchange between Majors and the woman, she wrote, "They assured me that you won't be charged. They said they had to arrest you as protocol when they saw the injuries on me and they knew we had a fight." The woman, who said she "just got out of the hospital," wrote, "I told them it was my fault for trying to grab your phone."

The texts also show the woman saying "this was not an attack" and denying that Majors strangled her. She allegedly wrote that the 911 call had to do with "me collapsing and passing out and your worry as my partner due to our communication prior. Out of care."

Documents obtained by PEOPLE show the woman told police that Majors allegedly "[struck] her about the face with an open hand, causing substantial pain and a laceration behind her ear," as well as allegedly grabbed her hand and neck "causing bruising and substantial pain."

At the time, Carol Wick, CEO of Sharity, Inc., who is on the UN Women – Violence Against Women Expert Roster, spoke to PEOPLE about what the text messages might convey, saying in part, "At the end of the day, the message we all should be saying very clearly is it's never okay to have violence in your relationship, and understanding that the violence is only a portion of what goes on."

April 18, 2023: PEOPLE confirms Jonathan Majors' public relations company has parted ways with the actor

In mid-April, PEOPLE confirmed that Majors' The Lede Company, a public relations firm, "stepped away" from working with the Marvel star last month in the wake of his charges. In addition, Deadline reported that talent management company Entertainment 360 has stopped working with Majors, citing sources.

That same day, it was reported that Majors had been taken out of consideration for at least two upcoming film projects. Deadline reported that Majors will no longer star in an upcoming film adaptation of Walter Mosley's 2004 novel The Man in My Basement that he was also expected to executive produce. The outlet added that he was no longer being considered for a biopic about late musician Otis Redding.

Additionally, Deadline reported that the Creed III star will no longer appear in an ad campaign for Major League Baseball's Texas Rangers.

April 19, 2023: More alleged abuse victims of Jonathan Majors come forward

David Fisher/Shutterstock

The day after Majors was dropped from a handful of projects, Variety reported that "multiple alleged abuse victims of Majors have come forward following his March arrest and are cooperating with the Manhattan district attorney's office."

April 20, 2023: Jonathan Majors' attorney shares evidence allegedly showing victim 'did not suffer any injury at the hands' of actor

Following Variety's report of more alleged abuse victims coming forward, Majors' lawyer sent evidence to a New York court that reportedly shows the woman he allegedly assaulted uninjured and socializing in the hours after the incident that led to the actor's March 25 arrest.

In a letter obtained by PEOPLE that Majors' attorney Priya Chaudhry sent to New York County Criminal Court, the lawyer wrote that Majors' team is "hopeful that the District Attorney's office will move quickly to dismiss this case" and detailed evidence she wrote was presented to Assistant District Attorney Kelli Galaway's office on April 11.

April 27, 2023: A judge grants Jonathan Majors' alleged victim a full temporary order of protection

On April 27, Doug Cohen, press secretary for the Manhattan District Attorney's Office, confirmed that a "judge granted a full temporary order of protection for the victim, per the People's request and with the consent of defense counsel." At the time of arraignment, a limited temporary order of protection had been granted.

Chaudhry reacted to the news in a statement to PEOPLE, saying, "This is standard in cases such as this, and we consented because Mr. Majors wants nothing to do with the woman who assaulted him."

"We have been transparent and cooperative with the District Attorney, including giving the District Attorney ample evidence, including witness statements, of Mr. Majors' innocence," Chaudhry continued.

"In fact, we recently provided a forensic medical opinion from a Board Certified Emergency Medicine Doctor and Trauma Specialist who has examined the photos and videos of the woman and concludes, without hesitation, that the woman did not have any injuries at the nightclub and the injuries she later sustained did not come from Mr. Majors (and could not have come from the way the woman described)."

Chaudhry added, "It is disturbing that even when presented with this incontrovertible evidence, the District Attorney continues this false case."

May 9, 2023: Jonathan Majors appears virtually in court

On May 9, Majors appeared virtually at Manhattan Criminal Court in New York City for a short hearing following his March 25 arrest and arraignment. The actor spoke during the hearing only to confirm that he consented to appear at the hearing virtually rather than in person.

Judge Rachel S. Pauley ordered Majors to appear in person for a hearing on the case scheduled for Tuesday, June 13, at which point she will rule on a decision for a motion requested by the defense.

In a statement obtained by PEOPLE following the hearing, Majors' attorney Priya Chaudhry said that her team has provided the Manhattan District Attorney's office with "irrefutable evidence" that the alleged victim in the March 25 incident that led to his arrest "is lying" about the facts of the case.

"Yet this false case continues, the woman's claimed location shifts, and her story morphs," Chaudhry said in the statement. "This is a witch hunt against Jonathan Majors, driven by baseless claims. Instead of dismissing the allegations in the face of the woman's clear lies, the DA has adjusted the charges to match the woman's new lies."

May 13, 2023: PEOPLE confirms Jonathan Majors is dating Meagan Good

Meagan Good and Jonathan Majors. Frazer Harrison/WireImage, Jon Kopaloff/WireImage

Following his virtual appearance in court, PEOPLE confirmed that Majors was in a new relationship with actress Meagan Good. TMZ was the first to report the news, who reported that the duo went on a date to the Alamo Drafthouse in Los Angeles to see a movie.

June 20, 2023: Jonathan Majors appears in court with Meagan Good

On June 20, Majors appeared in person at Manhattan Criminal Court in New York City for a hearing with Good by his side. The pair were seen holding hands as they entered and exited the court together alongside Majors' attorneys.

During the hearing, the defense withdrew a motion it had previously entered during the May hearing, which Majors attended virtually. Judge Rachel S. Pauley then set an August 3 date for a trial in Majors' case.

June 21, 2023: Jonathan Majors files a domestic violence complaint against alleged victim in assault case

Following his appearance on June 20 at Manhattan Criminal Court, Majors met with law enforcement and filed a domestic violence incident report at a precinct in Manhattan's Chinatown neighborhood, near where the incident that led to his March 25 arrest happened, Insider reported at the time.

In the complaint, Majors claimed the "drunk and hysterical" woman caused him pain and bleeding after the alleged assault, according to Insider, which obtained a copy of the report and a sworn affidavit. The actor also alleged in the report that the woman had attacked him in previous incidents, though he said he did not file reports in the past.

July 31: Marvel confirms Jonathan Majors will appear in Loki season 2

Majors' return as new Kang variants in Loki season 2 was previously teased in the end-credits scene for Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. In July, Marvel confirmed he would be featured in season 2 of the Tom Hiddleston-led series as his character appeared in the official trailer.

August 3, 2023: Jonathan Majors appears in court with girlfriend Meagan Good

In early August, Majors and his girlfriend Good appeared at Manhattan Criminal Court as the Marvel star made his second in-person court appearance during his domestic violence case.

Majors' trial was initially expected to begin on Aug. 3, but the actor's attorney Priya Chaudhry filed a motion to delay the trial that was accepted by the court.

September 6, 2023: Jonathan Majors appears virtually in court

On Sept. 6, Majors appeared virtually before Judge Rachel S. Pauley in Manhattan Criminal Court for a short hearing where it was decided that a new trial date for the actor will be determined on Friday, Sept. 15.

While Manhattan Assistant District Attorney Kelli Galaway told the judge that the prosecution was ready for trial, Majors' attorneys stated that the two sides needed to further address "deficiencies" in the discovery process, according to Deadline. Majors himself only spoke during the hearing to answer the judge's questions, the outlet reported.

September 15, 2023: Jonathan Majors' trial is delayed again

In September, Majors' trial was delayed yet again as his legal team claimed that New York prosecutors have “attempt[ed] to bury” key evidence in the case, Rolling Stone reported. Majors appeared virtually in the courtroom as Judge Michael Gaffey scheduled the next hearing for Oct. 25.

October 2, 2023: Loki executive producer Kevin Wright talks about Jonathan Majors' role in season 2

Ahead of the release of Loki season 2, which features Majors as He Who Remains and Victor Timely (a variant of Kang introduced in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania), the show's executive producer, Kevin Wright, spoke with Variety detailing how the actor's arrest didn't affect the show.

"This is the first Marvel series to never have any additional photography. The story that is on screen is the story we set out to make," Wright explained. "We went out there with a very specific idea of what we wanted this to be, and we found a way to tell it in that production period. It’s very much what’s on screen on Disney+."

When asked if there was any discussion about making changes to the change amid Majors' legal woes, Wright replied, "No. And that mainly came from — I know as much as you do at the moment. It felt hasty to do anything without knowing how all of this plays out."

October 25, 2023: A judge denies a request for the dismissal of the Manhattan District Attorney's criminal case against Jonathan Majors

On Oct. 25, the actor appeared virtually in a New York City courtroom, where Judge Michael Gaffey denied a request for the dismissal of the Manhattan District Attorney's criminal case against Majors, PEOPLE confirmed.

The decision means that Majors will face a trial, which follows his March 25 arrest after an alleged domestic dispute and, the following day, misdemeanor counts of assault and harassment. The trial date has been set for Nov. 29.

October 25, 2023: Jonathan Majors' accuser is arrested and charged

On Oct. 25 at 6 p.m., Majors' accuser, Grace Jabbari, was arrested and charged with assault and criminal mischief, a spokesperson at the New York Police Department confirmed to PEOPLE.

According to police, Jabbari — against whom Majors filed a domestic-violence counter-complaint in June — was issued a desk-appearance ticket, and will be required to appear in court to address the charges.

In a statement obtained by PEOPLE, Jabbari's attorney, Ross Kramer, says, "We are disappointed that Ms. Jabbari had to face an arrest that the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office already determined was unwarranted. The DA’s Office carefully reviewed all the facts of the case and concluded that Ms. Jabbari was the victim, and not the perpetrator."

In a court document filed previously, the DA's Office said they had "informed Ms. Jabbari’s attorney" on Sept. 21 that they "would decline to prosecute Ms. Jabbari if she were arrested."

"Before we walked into the police precinct, the DA’s Office made clear that they would not be charging Ms. Jabbari with any offense," Kramer adds in his statement to PEOPLE. "It is unfortunate and re-traumatizing when a survivor of intimate partner violence is forced to endure an arrest, but Ms. Jabbari is an extremely strong and resilient person who is determined to move forward."

November 29, 2023: Jonathan Majors arrives in court to stand trial

Majors appeared at New York Criminal Court for the first day of his trial in the Manhattan District Attorney's criminal case against him in late November. Majors held hands with his girlfriend as they stepped out of a vehicle with the actor's attorney before entering the courthouse.

December 13, 2023: Text messages from Jonathan Majors to Grace Jabbari are released

Majors sent alleged text messages to Jabbari in September 2022, which were entered as evidence in the trial and released by the court on Dec. 13. In them, the actor tried to convince his then-girlfriend not to go to the hospital for injuries she sustained after an argument between the two, threatening suicide if she did.

In response to a message where Jabbari said she couldn't sleep due to her head hurting, Majors allegedly wrote: “last night I considered killing myself.”

“I will not go to the doctor if you don’t feel safe with me doing so, or don't trust me to," Jabbari responded. "I promise I would never mention you but I understand your fear.”

Majors again threatened suicide in response to Jabbari not hugging him after a fight: “It’s not really contemplating any more….”

He allegedly followed up with another message: “I’m a monster. A horrible man. Not capable of love. I am killing myself soon. I’ve already put things in motion.”

December 18, 2023: Jonathan Majors is found guilty in his misdemeanor assault trial

The trial drew to a close on Dec. 18 when Majors was found guilty of misdemeanor assault in the third degree recklessly causing physical injury and harassment in the second degree. The actor was found not guilty of misdemeanor assault in the third degree with intent to cause physical injury and misdemeanor aggravated harassment in the second degree.

During her closing statements, Chaudhry tried to refocus the case on race, claiming that Majors had been presumed guilty because he was a Black man being accused by a White woman.

“They took a look at Mr. Majors and made up their minds,” Chaudhry said of the responding police officers. “They decided who was the victim and who was the criminal.”

At the end of her statement, Majors and Good both broke into tears.

About an hour after the jury reached a verdict, Marvel dropped the actor, who played Kang the Conqueror in 2023's Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania and was set to reprise the role in other projects.

April 8, 2024: Jonathan Majors receives his sentence after his guilty verdict

Nearly four months after Majors' trial came to an end, a New York judge handed down his sentence. Deadline reported that Majors has been ordered to participate in an "in person batterers" intervention program for one year.

The judge also put a permanent order of protection in place against contacting Jabbari, and he cannot apply for or own a gun. Majors could face up to 364 days in jail if he violates the terms of his sentence, and up to six months in jail if he does not complete the intervention program.