Fans campaign for Jonathan Majors’ Marvel comeback after actor avoids prison in domestic violence case
On Monday 8 April 2024, a New York judge sentenced Jonathan Majors to a year of probation for assaulting his ex-girlfriend Grace Jabbari during an altercation in March 2023.
The sentence was widely regarded as a surprise, considering the high-profile nature of the case and the fact that the rising star could have faced up to a year in prison after a jury in Manhattan convicted him of a misdemeanour assault in December.
However, the Manhattan district attorney’s office decided not to seek any jail time. Instead, the prosecutor, Kelli Galaway, stated that 52 weeks of domestic violence programming along with an order of protection against Jabbari would suffice.
That being said, if Majors fails to complete the program or violate any of the sentencing terms, he could face jail time, according to Deadline.
In the domestic violence case, Majors’ former girlfriend Jabbari accused the actor of attacking her in the backseat of a chauffeured car in March 2023. The actor and dancer detailed that Majors hit her head with his open hand, twisted her arm behind her back and squeezed her middle finger until it fractured.
In a tearful testimony, Jabbari also stated that she believed that Majors would continue to hurt other women if not convicted: “He believes he is above the law,” she warned.
The Barbie and Mission Impossible dancer painted the picture of an abusive relationship, in which Majors isolated her from her friends and family until she became completely emotionally dependent on him. “I became a different person around him—small, scared and vulnerable,” Jabbari recounted.
The guilty verdict in December derailed the career of Majors, who was immediately dropped by Marvel Studios after the decision was announced.
The actor was once hailed as one of Hollywood’s most promising rising stars, knabbing projects such as Kang the Conqueror in phase 5 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Creed III as Damian Anderson, and Montgomery Allen in The Last Black Man in San Francisco.
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Now, following the recent verdict, some loyal Marvel stans started to campaign for Majors to be rehired by the superhero film-maker, considering the prosecutor’s decision not to press for a jail term. Consequently, the hashtag #bringbackkang started trending on X, formerly Twitter.
Robert Downey Jr. was sentenced to 3yrs in PRISON for drug related crimes, spending over a year behind bars.
— #TeamEren. #FreePalestine 🇵🇸 (@AtlBlerd) April 9, 2024
I JUST learned Thanos himself Josh Brolin was ARRESTED for spousal abuse AND a bar fight.
But @Kevfeige @MarvelStudios yall fired Jonathan Majors?!#BringBackKang pic.twitter.com/TRvko29dPN
#JonathanMajors avoids jail after being found guilty of a couple of misdemeanors. What he was sentenced to shoulda been a Pre-trial Diversion plea offer.
— #TeamEren. #FreePalestine 🇵🇸 (@AtlBlerd) April 8, 2024
There was no logical reason why @ManhattanDA took this case to trial other than to embarrass him. pic.twitter.com/Kigy4Szzuq
@MarvelStudios I demand that you re hire #JonathanMajors immediately and continue him as Kang the conqueror
— zack2366 (@zack2366) April 8, 2024
With no jail Time and a 52 week batters intervention program and order of protection. He should be allowed to continue work and given a chance to
Don’t show Bias pic.twitter.com/DpXw1wwrwq
#JonathanMajors is innocent#BringBackKang pic.twitter.com/T0u005uZSR
— Nerdtastic1221 (@Nerdtastic1221) July 4, 2023
The majority of fans alleged unfair treatment considering that a number of stars that Marvel is still in good relationships with have undergone court cases. Notable names include Iron Man actor Robert Downey Jr and Josh Brolin, who has starred as Thanos in a number of Marvel projects.
#IStandWithJonathanMajors #JusticeForJonathanMajors #Kang #MCU #BringBackKang #MarvelStudios https://t.co/2uDnb4De0B
— Spider-Man (@spider810610) January 19, 2024
Does Anyone want #JonathanMajors back as Kang The Conquer in the MCU. Bring back Kang and Avengers 5 The Kang Dynasty. #Kang #AvengersTheKangDynasty #IStandWithJonathanMajors #JusticeForJonathanMajors #MCU #MarvelStudios #AvengersSecretWars #AvengersForever #BringBackKang pic.twitter.com/pfCoFVSaLU
— Terry Drake (@Terrenc81393552) January 17, 2024
RUN JONATHAN MAJORS HIS ROLE AS KANG BACK! NOW! @Marvel pic.twitter.com/LUaslpdLSw
— Kendall Jay (@K3NDALLJ) April 8, 2024
Outside of the Marvel Universe, fans also started to cite actors such as Ezra Miller, who has been embroiled in multiple legal issues and pleaded guilty to trespassing in a burglary case in Vermont in January 2023 as part of a deal to drop other charges. The actor, controversially, starred as superhero The Flash in the titular movie released in the same year.
Yet, a lot of Major’s defenders also displayed some overt misogyny.
Fuck that bitch.
— #TeamEren. #FreePalestine 🇵🇸 (@AtlBlerd) April 8, 2024
If he was such a threat, evil, abusive man:
1) Why she chase him 5 New York City blocks?;
B) Where's HER 911 call reporting a crime?!#JonathanMajors https://t.co/hOnmiTg1p8
The only plausible motive at this point is to perpetuate the idea of victimization of women, and to continue making men into a whole to be punished and, if possible, hated.
— Ari W 🏴☠️🌹👼#IAmNOTaBot (@ArianzeW4) April 8, 2024
Divide and put everyone against everyone, establish as many labels as possible, and sow perfidy. pic.twitter.com/kTF6jfv5ZF
Victim-witness Grace Jabbari reads a victim impact statement at Jonathan Majors's sentencing hearing: "He has not accepted responsibility and he will do this again. He will hurt other women…this is a man who thinks he is above the law."
— JOSH RUSSELL (@jruss_jruss) April 8, 2024
So Jonathan Majors ex bitch broke in, tried to kill herself, but the cops were so mad a rich nigga could afford a nice house they immediately jumped to coaching the OD survivor? Here's a 23 year old Chappelle joke. pic.twitter.com/xCGl2UIA0G
— Cyael (@Cyael) June 29, 2023
Still, a another fraction of netizens kept insisting that the sentence signified a failure of the court system. Emphasising that Majors would have deserved a jail sentence for his actions, they noted that the case showed how violence against women was still largely excused and bypassed.
Until the courts STOP excusing violence against women, we do not have the same rights, protections, & bodily autonomy as men
— bizerbizerrides 🏹🇺🇦 (@bizerbizerrides) April 8, 2024
Read "Actor Jonathan Majors sentenced to probation, avoiding jail time for assaulting ex-girlfriend' on SmartNews: https://t.co/thNFx9UWX0
Jonathan Majors admits to injuring his ex Grace Jabbari and then threatened to kill himself if she went to the cops.
— 🌹 Raquel🌹 (@eternallyRaq) December 8, 2023
And as is typical with victims, she still felt the need to protect him and so she said she would lie to the doctors about her injuries.
This was in Sept. 2022. https://t.co/9AK7SDJq0Z pic.twitter.com/f4LLDHYSgp
Mind you, those text messages of Jonathan Majors threatening to kill himself after physically assaulting his ex, convincing her to not go to the hospital was 6 months BEFORE the incident he’s on trial for.
— Ms. Andry Noir, PhD (@keatingssixth) December 8, 2023
What’s that mean class???
Assaulting your ex-girlfriend then threatening to kill yourself so they stay silent is textbook emotional manipulation, Jonathan Majors is a dangerous man.
— Sunflower’s Cap ⍟ | 3 YEARS OF SAM!CAP (@softyellowpetal) December 8, 2023
In an interview with Jezebel, domestic violence experts expressed concern with Majors’ legal team’s strategy and treatment of Jabbari throughout the trial. Sexual violence researcher Dr Nicole Bedera, for instance, told the publications that last year Majors’ lawyers deployed “DARVO” (deny, attack, reverse victim and offender) techniques against Jabbari. This further obscured and complicated the details of this case, contributing to the confusing narratives unfolding online.
As the discourse expands, it serves as a sobering reminder of the nuances of justice and the complexities of navigating legal proceedings in cases of domestic abuse.
