Source: Robert Smith / Getty
Jonathan Majors appeared in a courtroom for a hearing related to the charges of harassment and assault against him, with his lawyer claiming bias in the case.
The Creed III actor appeared at the hearing in the Manhattan courtroom on Tuesday (May 9th) virtually, where the Manhattan District Attorney’s office unveiled a superseding complaint of third-degree assault. Previously, the complaint stated that Majors had allegedly struck the victim’s face with an open hand, giving her a laceration behind her ear. Additional information now states that the woman sustained injuries to her arm and hand and that she had been allegedly pushed into the side of a vehicle by Majors.
The charge carries a punishment of up to a year in prison or three years of probation. The actor did not enter a plea during his appearance before Judge Rachel S. Pauley, who advised him that next time he’s expected to be physically present and not have any contact with the victim per the restraining order in place. “I’m required to inform you that, as you know, if you fail to appear in court on June 13, a warrant can be issued for your arrest within 48 hours and if you’re brought back on the warrant, the next judge can revoke and even set bail. I obviously don’t want that to happen,” she said.
After the hearing, Majors’ attorney Priya Chaudhry savaged the prosecutors, accusing them of racial bias. “This is a witch hunt against Jonathan Majors, driven by baseless claims,” Chaudhry said. “Instead of dismissing the allegations in the face of the woman’s clear lies, the DA has adjusted the charges to match the woman’s new lies. To be clear, there are no new charges against Mr. Majors.” She went on to allege in her statement that Majors was taunted by a white New York Police Department officer at the time of the arrest and that he and others didn’t bother to investigate the Lovecraft Country actor’s injuries at the time.
Majors’ high-trajectory career has taken serious hits since his March 25th arrest. While still on track to star in the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s upcoming entries in the Avengers series and season 2 of Loki, he has been dropped from at least one movie role and jettisoned by his PR team The Lede Company and former management team 360 Entertainment as well as dropped from significant ad campaigns run by the U.S. Army.
