Cuba Gooding Jr. faces trial on groping charges in Manhattan
CBS News, October 10, 2019
Cuba Gooding Jr. appeared in a Manhattan court Thursday morning to stand trial on groping charges, CBS New York reports. Prosecutors said the charges relate to an alleged incident in June, as well as a previously uncharged incident. Details of that additional incident were not disclosed.
The case was adjourned until next Tuesday. Gooding must be arraigned on the new indictment next week before a trial can begin. He and his lawyers left the courthouse without speaking to reporters.
The actor’s trial was postponed in September after prosecutors said they were still waiting for evidence in the case. His attorneys argued against the delay.
Gooding, 51, is accused of squeezing a 29-year-old woman’s breast without her consent on June 9 at Magic Hour Rooftop Bar & Lounge near Times Square. The woman told police she believed he was intoxicated.
Gooding was arrested four days later after turning himself in to police. He pleaded not guilty to forcible touching and sexual abuse charges and was released on his own recognizance.
The actor later requested to have the case thrown out, but was rejected.
His defense had filed papers saying the case should be dismissed based on accounts from two witnesses who said it never happened and video from the bar backed up their claims. The judge ruled the conflicting accounts should be resolved at trial.
If convicted, Gooding faces up to a year in jail.
Source: CBS News
Cuba Gooding Jr. facing new charge as trial is delayed again
By Marta Dhanis, Fox News October 10. 2019
Cuba Gooding Jr.‘s trial was about to get underway for a second time, but district prosecutors informed the court Thursday morning they have indicted the Hollywood actor with a new charge.
Assistant D.A. Jenna Long said that the charges in this indictment cover the existing incident as well as a new previously uncharged incident.
Gooding is set to be arraigned again on Tuesday in Manhattan Supreme Court. The indictment is under seal and will likely only be revealed at the arraignment.
CUBA GOODING JR. PROSECUTORS BRUSH OFF CLAIMS THAT HIS ACCUSER IS MENTALLY UNSTABLE
The actor came inside the courtroom for the proceeding, which only took a few minutes. He was looking serious and kept his head up but didn’t seem as confident as he was for previous hearings. He was wearing a black suit and tie.
Cuba Gooding’s attorney Mark Heller told Fox News on Thursday that prosecutors had “no case to begin with” and the move to indict him is just “dragging and proroguing the process.” He points out that none of “seven interviews” that the district attorney’s office has conducted have given rise to their case. However, Heller recognizes he has “no idea” what this new incident is about.
He says his client is “not happy about this, but he is confident in the system” and Gooding “feels this will all be resolved.”
Gooding had so far been accused of two counts of forcible touching and sexual abuse in the third degree after an alleged groping incident at a bar in New York City in June.
A 29-year-old woman says he placed his hand on her breast, squeezing it without her consent, at Magic Hour Rooftop Bar Lounge near Times Square. He was allegedly intoxicated at the time.
The 51-year-old was arrested four days later after turning himself in to police. He pleaded not guilty to forcible touching and sexual abuse charges and was released on his own recognizance.
Gooding later requested to have his case thrown out, but he was rejected.
The defense had filed papers saying the misdemeanor forcible touching case should be dismissed based on accounts of two witnesses who say it never happened, and that video from the bar backs up that claim. The filed documents argued that since there was clear evidence that no crime was committed, it was necessary to throw out the case to protect the integrity of the criminal justice system.
Gooding faces up to a year in jail if convicted.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Source: Fox News
