The assault trial for Jonathan Majors has reached its conclusion, with a six-person New York jury finding the actor guilty of one count of reckless assault in the third degree and harassment against his ex-partner Grace Jabbari on Monday.
It didn’t take long for Black users on TikTok to chime in about the role they believe race played in the jury’s decision. One user stated that as soon as the accusation came from Jabbari, the star didn’t stand a chance since the power dynamic between Black men and white women in the legal system clearly is mismatched.
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Others, like this one, have insisted that the need to protect white womanhood will result in a Black man’s career being derailed. One even went a step farther and asked Black women to “sit this one out” when it comes to speaking up for Majors.
She also believed that he was using his currently girlfriend Megan Good—who stood by him throughout the trial—for optics. However, this entire situation is not that simple.
The charges stem from an incident on March 25 after he called 911 upon finding ex-partner, Grace Jabbari, unconscious in their apartment. Majors was arrested by police after injuries were allegedly found on Jabbari (including a fractured finger and a cut behind her ear). Majors had pleaded not guilty to all charges.
The actor’s lawyer, Priya Chaudhry, claimed during the trial that Jabbari was the aggressor and claimed that “[Majors’] fear of what happens when a Black man in America calls 911 came true.”
While it is true that white women have a disturbing history to use their identity to cast themselves as victims—especially when it involves Black men—this instance is different. There was an array of evidence in the case—including damning text messages—that brought Majors’ character and innocence into question.
The repercussions he has faced and will continue to endure—which includes being dropped from various projects and possibly a year in jail—will be more severe because he is a Black man who was found guilty of assaulting a white woman. However, it was his decision to engage in an unhealthy romantic relationship with a partner that he chose.
Whatever you believe about this complex situation, the fact is that Majors has been forced to take some sort of accountability for his behavior and that race wasn’t the only factor in this verdict.
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