Actor Jonathan Majors has been sentenced to complete a year-long counseling program but was spared jail time on Monday for assaulting his ex-girlfriend in a widely publicized case that significantly impacted the once-promising actor’s career.
The 34-year-old star of “Creed III” had faced a potential year-long imprisonment following his conviction of misdemeanor assault by a Manhattan jury in December.
Judge Michael Gaffey handed Majors a conditional discharge, noting that both sides agreed that the charges did not warrant incarceration. Majors is mandated to undertake a 52-week, in-person batterer’s intervention program in Los Angeles, where he resides.
Additionally, he must continue mental health therapy, a practice his lawyers assert he has been actively engaged in. Violating the terms could lead to a year in jail. Moreover, Majors is subject to a no-contact order with his former girlfriend, Grace Jabbari.
Appearing in all black alongside his girlfriend, actor Meagan Good, Majors chose not to address the court and left without speaking to the press.
His attorney, Priya Chaudhry, conveyed that Majors refrained from making a public statement to avoid potential use against him in Jabbari’s civil suit.
Chaudhry highlighted Majors’ commitment to personal growth and assured that he would approach the mandated programs with sincerity, despite maintaining his innocence and planning an appeal.
“He’s lost his whole career,” Chaudhry stated in court. “This has been the most challenging year of his life.”
However, Jabbari, addressing the court tearfully, argued that Majors refuses to acknowledge his culpability and remains a threat to others.
“He’s not sorry. He has not accepted responsibility,” she asserted. “He will do this again and he will hurt other women. He believes he is above the law.”
Jabbari recounted how Majors had manipulated her into believing they shared a loving relationship while isolating her from family and friends.
“I was so emotionally dependent on him,” she recounted. “I became a different person around him — small, scared, and vulnerable.”
Following his guilty verdict in December, Majors was swiftly dropped by Marvel Studios, terminating his portrayal of Kang the Conqueror, a pivotal role anticipated to span various films and television productions.
The conviction stemmed from a March altercation where Jabbari accused Majors of assaulting her in a chauffeured car, alleging that he struck her head, twisted her arm, and fractured her finger. Majors countered, asserting that Jabbari instigated the altercation in a fit of jealousy.
Despite his hopes that the criminal trial would vindicate him and revive his Hollywood status, Majors still confronts legal challenges, including Jabbari’s civil suit alleging assault, battery, defamation, and emotional distress.
Majors’ legal team intends to file counterclaims against Jabbari.
The actor, known for his roles in “The Last Black Man in San Francisco” and “Lovecraft Country,” as well as “Creed III,” faces uncertainties regarding his career trajectory.
Marvel Studios must decide whether to recast Kang or chart a new course following Majors’ departure, adding to recent setbacks for the renowned superhero studio.
