Jonathan Majors has been in hot waters since he was arrested for allegedly assaulting his girlfriend. However, since then, his representatives have said that he is innocent and they are collecting evidence to prove it in court. Now, Majors’ has been released, and fans want the Marvel star to file a defamation lawsuit against his girlfriend over false charges, just like Johnny Depp did with Amber Heard.
Jonathan Majors Filing Defamation Lawsuit Against His Girlfriend
Jonathan Majors’ reps have always maintained that the Creed 3 star is innocent. When the initial arrest was reported by TMZ, they said to the media, “He’s done nothing wrong. We look forward to clearing his name and clearing this up.” Since then they have stated that they are allegedly gathering evidence and even looking forward to presenting a recanted statement by the accuser to prove Majors’ innocence in court.
TMZ reported that Majors was charged with assault, strangulation, and harassment. The site also reported that the “victim had visible injuries — including a laceration behind her ear, redness and marks to her face. She was taken to an area hospital and is in stable condition.” Recently, the star’s attorney, Priya Chaudhry, stated to Newsweek that it was her client who called 911 “due to concern for her mental health.”
If Chaudhry is true, it seemingly points to Majors being innocent. However, as per Frank Salzano, a New York attorney, the matter isn’t over just yet. The attorney told Newsweek that “Majors could seek to file a defamation lawsuit against the accuser for making a false public statement.” If the actor decides to move forward with a defamation case, it would be similar to when Johnny Depp decided to press similar charges against Amber Heard.
The outcome of that case was positive for Depp as Heard’s reputation and career are now in tatters. However, Salzano stated that Majors should think before filing a defamation lawsuit.
Why Shouldn’t Jonathan Majors File A Defamation Lawsuit?
As per the New York attorney, Jonathan Majors shouldn’t go forward with a defamation lawsuit against the accuser. He said this even though there’s a precedent of a high-profile celeb like Johnny Depp filing and winning a similar case. He said that it’s because defamation claims are tricky. Salzano said,
“Defamation claims are always tricky because the ‘truth’ is an absolute defense and any such claim for defamation would result in all the facts and circumstances surrounding the night in question being relevant and discoverable in any court proceeding.”
Salzano, who is Salzano Ettinger Lampert & Wilson law firm’s managing partner, also said that the defamation lawsuit can backfire on Majors as well. According to him,
“Situations of this nature regarding public figures are very complex in nature because, on one hand, inaction by Majors may be viewed publicly as a tacit admission of some wrongdoing, however, an affirmative claim for defamation by Majors keeps this matter in the public arena that much longer.”
In the end, Salzano offered a way out for Majors that will help him keep his career intact while allowing this incident to fade out of the spotlight. As per the attorney,
“If Majors was my client, I would advise him to seek a public retraction by the accuser and then move on and not file a defamation claim. Majors is a rising star in Hollywood.”
Right now, no official report of any recanted statement from the alleged victim has been released to the public and neither has Majors’ team clarified if they are moving forward with a defamation lawsuit. It remains to be seen how this case progresses.
