Jonathan Majors’ domestic assault trial was expected to start in a Manhattan courtroom on Wednesday – but it got delayed again, with the Marvel actor only having to make a brief appearance via video.
Prosecutors said during the hearing on Manhattan Criminal Court they were ready to start the trial – but the “Creed III” star’s defense attorney argued that there were “deficiencies” in evidence that still needed to be addressed.
Majors – who is accused of assaulting his ex-girlfriend during a fight in Chelsea in March – appeared virtually, wearing a lightly-tanned polo shirt in front of a blurred backdrop on a flat screened monitor.
He offered few words except for the occasional “Yes, ma’am” when addressing routine compliance questions from Judge Rachel Pauley, who reminded him to stay away from his ex Grace Jabbari — whom he is charged with assaulting and harassing.
Pauley scheduled the next hearing for September 15, during which a new trial date will be set.
Majors, 33, had originally been set to face trial August 3, but in court that day, Manhattan Assistant District Attorney Kelli Galaway said prosecutors needed more time to comb over evidence – resulting in the delay to September 6.
It is not known yet whether he will opt to face a jury or have a judge hear the evidence in a bench trial.
Majors’ attorney Priya Chaudhry has maintained Majors’ innocence since his arrest, claiming that it was Jabbari, 30, who attacked him and he was trying to get away from her on March 25.
Jabbari allegedly suffered minor injuries to her head and neck after the altercation.
Majors filed a domestic violence complaint against Jabbari in June, accusing her of scratching and hitting him while she was drunk during the March argument that resulted in his arrest.
The “Lovecraft Country” star faced further abuse allegations after an explosive Rolling Stone exposé featured a dozen sources that outlined the actor’s alleged treatment of his exes — where one of his unnamed girlfriends suffered “really extreme abuse, physically and mentally.”
Majors had previously shown up at court hand-in-hand with his girlfriend, actress Meagan Good — but he’s allowed to appear virtually again for his next hearing later this month, according to the judge.
