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Marvel actor Jonathan Majors, whose assault trial opened in New York City this week, is staring down a possible year of jail time.
Majors, who carried a coffee mug, notebook, yellow Post-it pad, and what resembled a golden Bible, held hands with his girlfriend, actress Meagan Good, as he entered a Manhattan courtroom on Wednesday, CBS News reported.
As proceedings got underway, Judge Michael Gaffey warned the actor — who has co-starred in films including Creed III and Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania — that a conviction in the case could land him up to one year of jail time.
The judge also advised Majors he was not obligated to testify or attend the trial in-person. Prosecutors, who plan on calling 14 witnesses, have stated they expect to present their case for at least six days. Jury selection is scheduled to begin on Thursday.
Majors, who was arrested in March, has pleaded not guilty to a series of misdemeanor counts of assault, attempted assault and aggravated harassment, according to court records previously obtained by Oxygen. A protection order for the alleged victim was issued by the judge presiding over the case.
What is actor Jonathan Majors accused of?
Majors is accused of hitting the alleged victim behind the ear, pulling her finger, and twisted her right arm behind her back during a car ride in March, according to CBS News. When they exited the vehicle, Majors allegedly pushed the woman back inside, causing her to fall backward, causing further injury to her head and neck. She was later treated at a hospital for minor injuries.
The woman later told responding officers that Majors had slapped her hard enough to cause “substantial pain and a laceration behind her ear,” court records reviewed by Oxygen stated. She also said Majors grabbed her hand and strangled her, “causing bruising and substantial pain.”
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After news of Majors’ arrest broke, several other alleged victims came forward, accusing him of abuse. A number of them are cooperating with the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office, Variety reported.
Majors denied the incident through a spokesperson, who claimed the actor had “done nothing wrong” in a statement to People. “We look forward to clearing his name and clearing this up,” the representative added.
The accuser, Majors’ former live-in girlfriend, was arrested in October on charges of assault and criminal mischief in connection to the case, according to ABC affiliate WABC-TV. Prosecutors with the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office, however, “officially declined” to prosecute the matter after a “thorough and lengthy investigation,” a spokesperson said.
Majors’ defense lawyer, Priya Chaudhry, previously blasted the case against the Lovecraft Country actor as a “witch hunt.” In May, she claimed her team had turned over “irrefutable evidence” to prosecutors that the accuser is “lying” about the incident, and was actually the perpetrator, not the victim.
Chaudhry also publicly released text messages between the accuser and the Loki series star, which she said contradicts the 30-year-old complainant’s story, according People.
“I’m so angry that they did, and I’m sorry you’re in this position,” one text message allegedly sent by the accuser to Majors stated. “Will make sure nothing happens about this,” the text read, in part. “I only just got out of the hospital. Just call me when you’re out. I love you.”
Oxygen has reached out to Chaudhry and her co-attorney, Seth Zuckerman, for comment.
