A New York jury has found actor Jonathan Majors guilty of assaulting and harassing his ex-girlfriend during a domestic dispute, CNN reported.
Majors, a rising star who starred in Disney's Marvel franchise and Creed III, was convicted Dec. 18 of one count of third-degree reckless assault and one count of misdemeanor harassment, which is not a criminal offense.
He was acquitted of another count of assault and one count of aggravated harassment.
Majors, who was present in court, kept a straight face as the verdict was read. He left the courthouse without commenting to the media.
Priya Chaudhry, an attorney for Majors, said he "still believes in the process and looks forward to fully clearing his name."
Shortly after news of the verdict, a source familiar with the matter told CNN that Marvel Studios would not be working on any future projects with Majors, who was set to star as the villainous Kang in the upcoming Avengers: Age of Ultron film. ".
Jurors in the case deliberated for a total of about four and a half hours before reaching a verdict.
The trial, which began Dec. 4, is related to a domestic dispute in March between Majors and his ex-girlfriend, Grace Jabari. Majors has pleaded not guilty to charges of aggravated assault and harassment.
During closing arguments last week, prosecutors said the actor "didn't hesitate to use physical violence" against Jabari when he grabbed Jabari's right arm, twisted her arm behind her back and then "punched" her in the head her.
Majors' attorney maintained his innocence during his closing arguments, calling the allegations against him "false" and saying Jabari was the aggressor in their dispute.
Majors did not testify during the trial, but was present in the New York courtroom throughout the case.
According to the New York Times, on Dec. 5, Jabari testified that Majors assaulted her in the backseat of a car during an argument in March, which prosecutors say happened after Jabari saw a romantic text message on her phone from another a woman.
"We are pleased that justice has prevailed with today's sentence. Jabari gave a public and honest testimony, although experiencing these traumatic events on the witness stand was clearly painful," Jabari's lawyers said. "We are grateful to the jury and the judge for their consideration and patience, and to the Manhattan District Attorney's Office for their hard work and support."
With Majors' career already on hold because of the lawsuit, his professional future is now in question. The actor could be sentenced to up to a year in prison for the assault conviction.
His sentencing is scheduled for February 6 next year./BGNES
