Actor Cuba Gooding Jr. was charged on Thursday with groping a woman at a Manhattan bar last weekend, New York City police said.
The “Jerry Maguire” actor faces one misdemeanor account of forcible
touching in an incident on Sunday when an unidentified woman said
Gooding touched her breasts.
Gooding, who denies the accusation, emerged in handcuffs after being
charged at a New York police facility. He did not speak to reporters.
He was the latest Hollywood figure to be swept up in a sexual misconduct
scandal that has roiled the entertainment industry in the last two
years.
Gooding’s attorney, Mark J. Heller, said he was “completely confident
that (Gooding) will be totally exonerated.” He told reporters that
Gooding will enter a not guilty plea at an initial court appearance.
“There is not a scintilla of criminal culpability that can be attributed to Cuba Gooding Jr.,” Heller told reporters.
Heller said he was “shocked and horrified” that the case was being
prosecuted after he presented police with security video from the bar
that the attorney said showed no criminal behavior by Gooding.
Gooding, 51, won a supporting actor Oscar in 1997 for “Jerry Maguire”
and had roles in “A Few Good Men,” “The Butler” and the television
miniseries “The People v. O.J. Simpson.”
The actor, who is divorced, is one of dozens of men in politics,
entertainment, sports and the business world who have been accused of
sexual misconduct since allegations against movie producer Harvey
Weinstein triggered the #MeToo movement.
Weinstein is to stand trial in New York later this year on charges of
rape and forced oral sex involving two women. He has denied any
non-consensual sex.
Former “House of Cards” actor Kevin Spacey in January pleaded not guilty
to sexually assaulting an 18-year-old man at a Massachusetts bar two
years ago, while singer R. Kelly was charged in Chicago with sexually
assaulting three teens and a woman.
Heller accused the woman who lodged the complaint against Gooding last
weekend of seeking “simply to get their 15 minutes of fame” and said he
hoped she would herself be prosecuted once Gooding’s case is resolved.
New York media reported on Thursday that another woman had come forward
this week alleging inappropriate touching by Gooding in 2008.
Heller said Gooding had “no knowledge” of the alleged 2008 incident,
which falls outside the statute of limitations for any potential
charges.
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