Actor Jonathan Majors found guilty of assaulting his former girlfriend in car in New York
New York (AP): Jonathan Majors was convicted on Monday of assaulting his former girlfriend after a two-week trial that the actor hoped would salvage his damaged reputation and restore his status as an emerging Hollywood star.
A Manhattan jury found Majors, 34, guilty of assault and harassment. He was also acquitted of a different assault charge and of aggravated harassment. Majors, who was asked to stand and face the jurors as the verdict was read, showed no immediate reaction, looking slightly downward.
His sentencing was set for February 6.
The charges stemmed from a dispute between the "Creed III" actor and his girlfriend, Grace Jabbari, that began in the backseat of a chauffeured car and spilled into the streets of Manhattan one night last March.
Jabbari, a 30-year-old British dancer, accused Majors of an attack inside the vehicle that left her in "excruciating" pain. She said he struck her in the head with his open hand, twisted her arm behind her back and squeezed her middle finger until it fractured.
Majors' lawyers said she was the aggressor, alleging that she flew into a jealous rage after reading a text message on his phone sent by another woman. They said Jabbari had spread a "fantasy" to take down the actor, who was only trying to regain his phone and get away safely.
The verdict dealt a major blow to Majors, who was on the verge of Hollywood stardom until his arrest in March sent his career into a tailspin.
Once slated to lead the next phase of the Marvel universe as the supervillain Kang the Conqueror, Majors faced an uncertain future with the lucrative franchise after the abuse charges. The actor, who attended the Yale School of Drama, has lost other parts and endorsement deals and seen his critically-acclaimed drama, "Magazine Dreams", pulled from its scheduled release earlier this month.
Majors arrived in the courtroom each morning carrying a gold-leaf Bible, offering hugs to his family members and his current girlfriend, actress Meagan Good, before taking his seat. Expressionless for much of the testimony, he wiped away tears as his attorney, Priya Chaudhry, urged jurors to "end this nightmare for Jonathan Majors".
But as Majors sought vindication from the jury, the trial also brought forth new evidence about his troubled relationship with Jabbari, whom he met on the set of "Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania" two years ago.
Accusing Majors of a "cruel and manipulative pattern" of abuse, prosecutors shared text messages that showed the actor begging Jabbari not to seek hospital treatment for an earlier head injury. One message warned "it could lead to an investigation even if you do lie and they suspect something".
They also played audio of Majors declaring himself a "great man", then questioning whether Jabbari could meet the high standards set by the spouses of Martin Luther King Jr. and Barack Obama. Majors' attorneys countered that Jabbari had surreptitiously recorded her boyfriend as part of her plot to "destroy" his career.
Over four days of tearful testimony, Jabbari said Majors was excessively controlling and prone to fits of explosive rage that left her afraid "physically quite a lot".
She broke down on the witness stand as a jury watched security footage from the aftermath of the backseat confrontation, which prosecutors said showed Majors "manhandling" her and shoving her back in the car "as if she was a doll".
Majors did not take the stand. But Chaudhry said her client was the victim of "white lies, big lies, and pretty little lies" invented by Jabbari to exact revenge on an unfaithful partner.
The attorney cited security footage, taken immediately after the shove, that showed Majors sprinting away from his girlfriend as she chased him through the night. Jabbari then followed a group of strangers she'd met on the street to a dance club, where she ordered drinks for the group and did not appear to be favouring her injured hand.
"She was revenge-partying and charging Champagne to the man she was angry with and treating these strangers to fancy Champagne she bought with Jonathan's credit card," Chaudhry alleged.
The next morning, after finding Jabbari unconscious in the closet of their Manhattan penthouse, Majors called police. He was arrested at the scene, while Jabbari was transported to a hospital to receive treatment for the injuries to her ear and hand.
"He called 911 out of concern for her, and his fear of what happens when a Black man in America came true," Chaudhry said, accusing police and prosecutors of failing to take seriously Majors' allegations that he was bloodied and scratched during the dispute.
In her closing arguments, prosecutor Kelli Galaway said Majors was following a well-worn playbook used by abusers to reverse the narrative by casting their victims as attackers.
"This is not a revenge plot to ruin the defendant's life or his career," Galaway said. "You were asked why you are here? Because domestic violence is serious."
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Andhra Pradesh CM pushes for population growth, joint family values on Ugadi
Amaravati (PTI): Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Thursday announced a population management policy aimed at boosting the state's population, while emphasising the need to strengthen family systems.
The Chief Minister said efforts are being made to revive the joint family system to ensure better care for elders and enhanced social stability.
“Through a population management policy, we are taking steps to increase population again…we must strengthen families and values in society,” Naidu said while addressing Ugadi celebrations organised by the government in Vijayawada.
He called for returning to value-based living, ensuring support for immediate family members.
Naidu reaffirmed his government's commitment to providing economic, social and health security to all people, while promoting joint family values and planning measures to encourage such systems.
He said schemes such as ‘Talli ki Vandanam’, which offers Rs 15,000 annual financial aid for school going children, will support family growth and social security.
Despite financial constraints, he said the state government has extended support to the poor with a continued focus on welfare measures.
He noted that reservoirs currently have a storage level of about 65 per cent and water will be released for irrigation purpose from May 15, encouraging farmers to prepare for heavy sowing during Kharif season.
The CM said the state government has introduced a water security policy to ensure water availability for drinking, agriculture, industries and environmental needs.
He highlighted that governance will increasingly become technology-driven, enabling better response to natural disasters and climatic variations.
Referring to the Sanjeevani project, he said it aims to strengthen public health and digital health records will enable personalised medical care in future.
According to him, the TDP, BJP and Janasena alliance was formed to ensure welfare, development and good governance.
He said his government is focusing on uplifting the poorest sections through targeted policies.
The Chief Minister said regional economic corridors centred around Visakhapatnam, Tirupati and Amaravati will drive development, along with improved logistics connectivity.
He noted that over Rs 1,900 crore has been provided so far to families displaced due to the Polavaram project, while criticising the previous YSRCP government between 2019 and 2024 for not extending compensation.
Naidu reiterated that the Polavaram project will be completed before Godavari Pushkarams (kumbh mela like festival), ensuring gravity-based water supply to the Krishna delta and Visakhapatnam.
He said around Rs 5,000 crore more is required for the project and thanked the Centre for financial support.
Calling Amaravati the "people’s capital", he said the NDA coalition government is implementing short, medium and long-term plans for overall development.
He underscored that employment generation remains a priority, with a job calendar released for 10,060 posts, along with recruitment of nearly 16,000 teachers and over 5,700 police constables.
Naidu claimed that about 30,600 government jobs and over 6.2 lakh private sector jobs have been created.
The CM said notifications for job recruitment will be issued between May 15 and October 15, ensuring opportunities for youth.
He also highlighted that Andhra Pradesh has secured the top position in consumer justice, reflecting the government’s focus on protecting consumer rights.
Naidu expressed confidence that by 2047, the state will become a wealthy, healthy and happy society, achieving global recognition for Telugu people.
Meanwhile, Naidu signed the first file on the occasion of Ugadi, approving financial assistance under the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund (CMRF) for thousands of beneficiaries.
The Chief Minister cleared Rs 55.63 crore to extend financial and medical assistance to 6,787 beneficiaries, as part of welfare support to the poor.
Meanwhile, the Ugadi awards were presented by the Chief Minister to artists who have made distinguished contributions across various fields.
He also presented mementoes to eminent artists and extended his congratulations for their accomplishments.
A total of 38 individuals received Kala Ratna awards, while 122 were honoured with Ugadi awards.
