Actor Jonathan Majors from Marvel faces assault charge in a legal battle

Jonathan Majors, the Marvel star, has started his trial in New York after being charged with assault by his ex-girlfriend, Grace Jabbari. The allegations arise from an incident in March which resulted in Ms Jabbari sustaining bruises and a broken finger. Majors, who has gained recognition for his roles in popular films including Creed III and Ant-Man, could potentially face a year in prison if found guilty. However, the actor has firmly denied the charges against him. Majors was taken into custody following a "domestic dispute" at a Manhattan apartment shortly after presenting at the 2023 Oscars. The police reported that Ms Jabbari, aged 30, had suffered minor head and neck injuries and was taken to the hospital. In her complaint, she stated that Majors had slapped her and placed his hand on her neck, causing significant pain and injury. Additionally, Majors filed a counter-complaint against Ms Jabbari, alleging that she had attacked him. The New York Police Department apprehended Ms Jabbari in relation to the counter-complaint in October, yet the Manhattan District Attorney's office has decided not to pursue charges against her. Despite a motion to dismiss the case being rejected by a New York judge, the trial has faced multiple delays before finally commencing on Wednesday. Majors' attorney, Priya Chaudhry, has declared his complete innocence, emphasizing the existence of video evidence and witness testimony supporting their claim that he was the victim. Furthermore, Ms Jabbari has reportedly retracted her allegations. As a result of the charges, Majors has been dropped by his management and public relations firm. Marvel, which intended to feature Majors as the primary antagonist Kang the Conqueror, has been impacted by the allegations, leading it to reconsider related spinoffs and series. The release dates for the upcoming Avengers films, The Kang Dynasty and Secret Wars, have been postponed by Marvel. As a consequence of his arrest, the US army has decided to temporarily remove advertisements featuring Majors that were part of a recruitment campaign. While acknowledging Majors' presumption of innocence until proven guilty, the Army's Enterprise Marketing Office stated that they believe it would be wise to remove the ads until the allegations have been thoroughly investigated. Majors rose to prominence with his breakthrough role in The Last Black Man in San Francisco in 2019. He has since starred in the Netflix western The Harder They Fall and portrayed Michael B. Jordan's adversary in Creed III earlier this year.