Loki actor Jonathan Majors is currently under trial for the domestic abuse allegations that prompted his arrest earlier this year. The much-delayed trial finally began in New York on November 29, and the court is currently selecting the jurors to try the case and come to a decision.
The trial has drawn much public interest due to Majors’ stardom and his current role as Kang the Conqueror in the MCU being in jeopardy due to the allegations. While celebrity trials are always under intense public scrutiny, Majors’ legal team seems to want to avoid making it public in order to stray away from a Johnny Depp and Amber Heard-like situation.
Why Is Jonathan Majors Under Trial?
Actor Jonathan Majors was one of the most anticipated upcoming stars until he was arrested on assault and harassment charges in March 2023. The actor had his breakthrough when he starred in the A24 drama The Last Black Man in San Fransisco. The film premiered at the Sundance Film Festival, and Majors received an Independent Spirit Award nomination for his performance.
After a few more films, Jonathan Majors was cast as Kang the Conqueror, the main antagonist of the present Multiverse Saga in the MCU. He made his first appearance in the Disney Plus series Loki. He plays all the other Kang variants and is all set to be the main antagonist in the upcoming films Avengers: Kang Dynasty and Avengers: Secret Wars.
Majors was arrested in March 2023 over assault, strangulation, and harassment by his ex-girlfriend Grace Jabbari. More domestic abuse allegations from other accusers arose after the incident, and Majors was dropped from his management and PR companies. He also lost out on a couple of roles such as the Disney film Magazine Dreams.
Also read: 1 Jonathan Majors Ant-Man 3 Kang Variant May Show Up in Pedro Pascal’s Fantastic Four
Jonathan Majors’ Team Wants to Avoid a Public Trial
After numerous delays, Jonathan Majors’ trial on his domestic abuse charges began on November 29 in New York. The trial began with the selection of potential jurors who would be deciding the actor’s guilt or innocence during the course of the trial. Majors has reportedly pleaded not guilty to all the charges laid on him.
According to Deadline, Majors’ legal team reportedly pushed for some evidence to be sealed by the court as it was ‘prejudicial and inflammatory’. His team of lawyers seemed to want to keep the trial as closed as possible, and the trial saw a closed hearing to discuss the state of the evidence.
Also read: Johnny Depp May be Responsible for Disney Letting Jonathan Majors Get a Hall Pass
Celebrity trials have always been a subject of interest to the public, and many times, a media trial has changed the image of the people under trial. Famous cases include that of former football star and actor OJ Simpson, whose public trial was one of the most talked-about moments in pop culture history.
The most recent trial of Johnny Depp and Amber Heard, who accused each other of domestic abuse and filed defamation lawsuits, was one of the most publicized trials in the recent past. The trial, which was streamed publicly, was subject to polarizing opinions online and was turned into memes.
Hence, actor Jonathan Majors’ legal team seems to be avoiding a public trial to not have a repeat of the Depp v Heard incident. Majors faces four felony charges and stands to go to prison for a year if found guilty. The judge on his trial reportedly instructed the jurors to avoid looking up the case online or through any other media to influence their decision.
