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Cuba Gooding Jr. Faces Second Groping Charge Cuba Gooding Jr. Faces Second Groping Charge
(32 minutes later)
Cuba Gooding Jr. has been charged with pinching a woman’s behind at a nightclub in Manhattan in October 2018, according to an indictment unsealed on Tuesday in the second sexual misconduct case filed against the actor this year. In the second sexual misconduct case filed against him this year, the actor Cuba Gooding Jr. stands accused of pinching a woman’s bottom at a Manhattan nightclub in 2018, according to an indictment unsealed on Tuesday. He pleaded not guilty Tuesday in State Supreme Court in Manhattan.
Mr. Gooding, 51, who was previously charged with groping a woman at a rooftop bar near Times Square in June of this year, pleaded not guilty to the new counts in State Supreme Court in Manhattan. Mr. Gooding, 51, also faces charges he groped a woman at a rooftop bar near Times Square in June of this year.
An assistant district attorney, Jenna Long, said there were also 12 other accusers with uncharged allegations that prosecutors wished to submit to the court as evidence of a pattern of behavior. An assistant district attorney, Jenna Long, said there were 12 other accusers with uncharged allegations whose accounts prosecutors wished to submit to the court as evidence of a pattern of behavior.
The indictment said Mr. Gooding’s “past behavior shows that he routinely approaches women while at bars or nightclubs with whom he has limited or no prior interaction, and touches them inappropriately.”The indictment said Mr. Gooding’s “past behavior shows that he routinely approaches women while at bars or nightclubs with whom he has limited or no prior interaction, and touches them inappropriately.”
Mr. Gooding entered the courtroom in handcuffs, wearing a black suit with a white pocket square. His lawyer, Mark J. Heller, immediately came out firing, portraying Mr. Gooding as a victim himself. Mr. Heller called the cases “a distorted overreaction pandering to the current hypersensitive climate where innocent commonplace gestures are now misperceived and mischaracterized as offensive.” He drew a comparison between Mr. Gooding’s actions and those of former Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr., whom several women have accused of behaving in a way that made them uncomfortable. (No charges have been filed in connection with Mr. Biden.)
His lawyer, Mark J. Heller, immediately came out firing, portraying Mr. Gooding as a victim himself. Mr. Heller called the cases “a distorted overreaction pandering to the current hypersensitive climate where an innocent commonplace gestures are now misperceived and mischaracterized as offensive.” He drew a comparison to Mr. Gooding’s behavior and that of former Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr., whom several women have accused of touching them in a way that made them uncomfortable.
He said that the new accuser had tried to get a settlement payment from Mr. Gooding after his first arrest, but that the actor “bravely chose not to be shaken down.” A spokesman for the district attorney’s office declined to comment on possible settlement negotiations.He said that the new accuser had tried to get a settlement payment from Mr. Gooding after his first arrest, but that the actor “bravely chose not to be shaken down.” A spokesman for the district attorney’s office declined to comment on possible settlement negotiations.
He was scheduled to stand trial last week in the groping case, in which a woman accuses him of grabbing her breast at the Magic Hour Rooftop Bar at the Moxy NYC Times Square hotel on June 9. Mr. Gooding denies it, and in court papers has contended that his accuser “is predisposed to make false allegations against the defendant.” Mr. Gooding was scheduled to stand trial last week in the groping case, but the new indictment led to a postponment. In that case a woman accused him of grabbing her breast at the Magic Hour Rooftop Bar at the Moxy NYC Times Square hotel on June 9. Mr. Gooding denies it, and in court papers has contended that his accuser “is predisposed to make false allegations against the defendant.”
All the charges were moved from the New York City Criminal Court to the State Supreme Court, where Mr. Gooding was arraigned on Tuesday. He was released without bail. As he walked away from the courthouse to a waiting S.U.V., fans shouted: “I love you, Cuba!” He smiled and waved.
But the new charges caused his groping trial to be postponed and shifted all of the charges to the State Supreme Court, where Mr. Gooding was arraigned on Tuesday. He was released without bail. As he walked away from the courthouse and to an awaiting SUV, fans shouted: “I love you, Cuba!” He smiled and waved. The charges in the latest case, forcible touching and third-degree sexual abuse, are identical to the ones he previously faced. The maximum penalty for the top charge, forcible touching, is a year in jail.
The new charges, forcible touching and third-degree sexual abuse, are identical to the charges he previously faced. The maximum penalty for the top charge, forcible touching, is a year in jail.
The additional charges stem from an episode at the TAO nightclub at 92 Ninth Avenue in Manhattan on Oct. 24, 2018. According to the indictment, Mr. Gooding pinched a woman’s buttocks, and when she confronted him, he claimed that he had pinched her back. Earlier in the night, the indictment says, Mr. Gooding made a sexually suggestive remark to the woman.The additional charges stem from an episode at the TAO nightclub at 92 Ninth Avenue in Manhattan on Oct. 24, 2018. According to the indictment, Mr. Gooding pinched a woman’s buttocks, and when she confronted him, he claimed that he had pinched her back. Earlier in the night, the indictment says, Mr. Gooding made a sexually suggestive remark to the woman.
The testimony of a second woman — and others whose accusations were not included in the indictment — could make it easier for prosecutors to convince a jury that Mr. Gooding is someone given to touching a woman without her consent.The testimony of a second woman — and others whose accusations were not included in the indictment — could make it easier for prosecutors to convince a jury that Mr. Gooding is someone given to touching a woman without her consent.
Mr. Heller has painted the district attorney’s office decision to move the case to a higher court as a strategic move meant to buy time because they did not have the evidence they needed to prove Mr. Gooding committed the groping crime. But the indictment unsealed on Tuesday makes clear that more than one woman is now accusing the actor of wrongdoing. Mr. Heller has painted the district attorney’s office’s decision to move the case to a higher court as a strategic move meant to buy time because they did not have the evidence they needed to prove Mr. Gooding committed the groping crime. But the indictment unsealed on Tuesday makes clear that more than one woman is now accusing the actor of wrongdoing.
Mr. Heller asked Judge Curtis Farber to order that the first groping allegation be tried separately so that Mr. Gooding could stand trial sooner rather than later. A separate trial could also make it tougher for prosecutors to portray him as a serial offender. The judge did not immediately rule on the request. Mr. Heller asked Judge Curtis Farber to order that the first groping allegation be tried separately so that Mr. Gooding could stand trial sooner rather than later. A separate trial could also make it tougher for prosecutors to portray him as a serial offender. The judge did not immediately rule on that request.
Mr. Gooding, a native of the Bronx, shot to fame with the lead role in the 1991 film “Boyz N The Hood,” and he won an Academy Award in 1997 for his supporting role as a football star in “Jerry Maguire.” In 2016, he played O.J. Simpson in the television series “The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story.”Mr. Gooding, a native of the Bronx, shot to fame with the lead role in the 1991 film “Boyz N The Hood,” and he won an Academy Award in 1997 for his supporting role as a football star in “Jerry Maguire.” In 2016, he played O.J. Simpson in the television series “The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story.”
According to IMDb.com, he most recently appeared onscreen in “Bayou Caviar,” a 2018 movie he directed and in which he played the lead. He also has a role in a yet-to-be-released film called “Life in a Year.”According to IMDb.com, he most recently appeared onscreen in “Bayou Caviar,” a 2018 movie he directed and in which he played the lead. He also has a role in a yet-to-be-released film called “Life in a Year.”
Jan Ransom contributed reporting.Jan Ransom contributed reporting.