Jonathan Majors Sentenced to Domestic-Abuse Program Following Assault Conviction

Jonathan Majors was sentenced Monday to a 52-week domestic-abuse prevention program after being convicted in December of recklessly assaulting and harassing his ex-girlfriend Grace Jabbari.

The former Marvel actor was solemn during proceedings, declining to make a statement. Judge Michael Gaffey noted that “jail is not necessary” for the misdemeanor domestic violence offense, but said Majors is expected to complete the intensive course in person. He is also barred from owning or applying for a license to obtain a firearm. 

Jabbari was granted a full order of protection against Majors. The 31-year-old professional dancer appeared briefly at court to read an emotional victim impact statement, saying that Majors held her in “the palm of his abusive hand” and spoke to the lasting impact his abuse has caused her.

Jabbari, who filed a defamation and assault and battery lawsuit against Majors last month, told the court that she believes that Majors is “not sorry” and has not taken any responsibility, therefore he “remains a danger to those around him.” “The only reason I’m here is because I want to protect him from hurting other people,” she said. “I will not rest until I feel he is not a danger to anyone else.”  

Majors was found guilty of reckless assault in the third degree and a harassment violation for injuring Jabbari in March 2023. A fight broke out over Majors’ phone after Jabbari saw him receive a romantic text from another woman. Jabbari sustained a fractured finger and a gash behind her ear, but Majors claimed Jabbari was the aggressor that night. The 34-year-old later said he was stunned by the verdict. (Majors was found not guilty of the two more serious charges, intentional assault and aggravated harassment.)

Majors arrived in court with girlfriend actress Meagan Good, reading his Bible before proceedings began. Some of Majors’ fans and online supporters — several wearing red beanies, presumably in a show of solidarity — were escorted into the courtroom by one of Majors’ attorneys. The actor greeted and hugged them when he entered the room. The sentencing was originally set for February, but Majors’ attorneys filed a last-minute motion seeking to overturn the jury’s verdict — which was denied last week. 

In a statement to Rolling Stone, Jabbari’s attorney Brittany Henderson said that her client was “very satisfied” with the sentence. “She is hopeful that 52 weeks of in-person domestic violence programming will serve as a deterrent to future conduct by Mr. Majors,” Henderson added. “She is incredibly grateful to the Sanctuary for Families in New York and Women’s Aid in the United Kingdom for their unwavering support and guidance throughout this very difficult criminal process.”

Actresses Emma Duncan and Maura Hooper, who claimed Majors was physically and/or emotionally abusive to them, shared their support for Jabbari in a joint statement provided to Rolling Stone. (Majors denied that he was ever physically abusive and described both of the relationships as “toxic.”)

“All too many victims of domestic abuse feel they must stay silent, for fear of being discredited,” they said. “The guilty verdict and today’s sentence prove that a path toward accountability is possible. While we wish we did not share such a similar experience of the same man, we are awed by the strength Grace has shown in recounting her abuse. We know, too well, the lasting effects of psychological, emotional, and physical abuse, and we believe her.”

Last month, Jabbari filed a civil suit against Majors where she detailed more instances where Majors allegedly physically abused her during their nearly two-year relationship. Her legal team argued that Majors defamed Jabbari by making numerous false statements, including in an ABC News interview where Majors said he didn’t know how Jabbari sustained her injuries and claimed he has “never hit a woman … My hands have never struck a woman.” 

Majors’ legal team also sought to keep some evidence permanently under seal, including testimonies from Duncan and Hooper. Their accounts were first referred to in Rolling Stone’s investigation from June where more than a dozen sources — who are friends with the women or were present during their relationship — independently corroborated details of the alleged abuse. At the time, Duncan and Hooper declined to comment for the original article, with one of the women, through a spokesperson, citing fear of retribution. “It was pervasively known that he was [a good actor], and that he also would terrorize the people that he had dated,” one of the dozen sources told Rolling Stone. 

A fourth woman also came forward to Rolling Stone as part of the investigation but pulled out shortly before publication. In an interview with The Cut — who gave her the pseudonym “Anna” —  the woman claimed she was also in an abusive relationship with Majors. Anna said she backed out of Rolling Stone’s June article because she received a threatening letter allegedly sent by a legal assistant, who claimed Anna was being investigated by a law firm and was part of an “ongoing criminal investigation.” 

Although Majors’ criminal case in New York is behind him, London’s Metropolitan Police confirmed to Rolling Stone in November that there is an ongoing investigation into allegations of “physical assaults” that occurred in September 2022. The alleged assaults seem to pertain to an incident Jabbari highlighted in her civil case against Majors. The actor allegedly threw Jabbari onto the hood of a car, covering her mouth as she shouted for help at their shared home in London. After bringing her back inside, he allegedly banged her “head against the marble floor while strangling her until she felt she could no longer breathe,” according to court documents. Majors allegedly threatened to kill Jabbari, who sustained a head injury and could “barely move without pain … [and] have a constant ringing headache.” 

Apart from his prime-time ABC News interview, Majors has not publicly spoken about the case. In the past year, he’s gone from early Oscar buzz for Magazine Dreams to being dropped from nearly all his slated projects, including a Dennis Rodman biopic and his tentpole Marvel movie. However, he’s stated his hope of returning to Hollywood and was recently seen attending red-carpet events with girlfriend actress Good. 

This story was updated on April 8 at 6:20 p.m. to include a joint statement from Emma Duncan and Maura Hooper.

From Rolling Stone US.