Jonathan Majors Doesn’t Testify, Defense Rests In Assault Case
Just short of two weeks since stepping into a Manhattan courtroom, the trial of Marvel star Jonathan Majors has come to an end. Deadline reports that the Loki and Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania star declined his opportunity to take the stand, thus giving the defense no choice but to rest its case.
Under the gavel of Judge Michael Gaffey, the decision will now fall onto a jury whether or not Majors is guilty of the domestic abuse allegations that were put on him by his ex-girlfriend, Grace Jabbari.
Does Not Testifying Help Jonathan Majors?
A lot of evidence came into play during the court case, with much of it centered around the March 25, 2023 incident that ended with Grace Jabbari accusing Jonathan Majors of domestic assault. Either way, it would’ve been a risk for the defense to call Jonathan Majors to the stand to testify on behalf of his own innocence.
While, on one hand, it would’ve given the actor a chance to share his side of the story and view of exactly how things went down that evening, it also would’ve opened up the chance for the prosecution to cross-examine him, something that could be considered a risky move.
Majors’ WME Agent Last To Take The Stand
The case has brought a lot of witnesses forward, both for and against Jonathan Majors’ account of what happened, with some damning text evidence painting a not-so-great picture of the actor’s outcome. Since Majors didn’t testify in the case, the final person to take the stand was his WME agent, Elan Ruspoli, who said that the actor called him on the night in question. Without giving too much of their conversation away, Ruspoli, who’s been representing Majors for several years, says that he received a call in the morning from the actor who sounded “beyond concerned, distraught, worried.”
Alarming Noises
Acting back the noises that he heard in the background of his phone call with Jonathan Majors, Elan Ruspoli made banging noises by slamming his fist down on the corner of the witness box over and over again. He claims that these were the sounds that he heard in the background of their 25-minute call, leaving him alarmed at what was going on in Majors’ New York apartment.
Final Statements And Jury Deliberation Next
Final statements will be made by both sides today (Thursday), with the jurors sent to deliberate right after. Should Jonathan Majors be found guilty, he could face up to one year in prison on a handful of misdemeanor charges.While both sides have done their due diligence, it was shocking that the defense team didn’t try their luck at bringing Jonathan Majors onto the stand. The prosecution had a slew of evidence, including surveillance videos, secretly recorded audio, an eyewitness account from the driver – who was the only other person around the ex-couple at the time of the alleged assault -and texts between Majors, Jabbari, and others.
Grace Jabbari Testifies
Grace Jabbari also took the stand to tell her side of the story, making it even more interesting as to why Jonathan Majors decided to sit this one out. The good news for both sides is that this case hasn’t dragged on, with two weeks seeming like enough time for both sides to present and rest their cases. Now, the Marvel and Creed star’s future sits in the hands of the Judge and jury. Stay tuned for updates on the final decision.
