Cuba Gooding Jr Surrenders, Faces Misdemeanor Count of Forcible Touching

According to TheWrap, Oscar winner Cuba Gooding Jr turned himself in Thursday, June 13, to the New York Police Department and is currently facing charges for allegedly fondling a woman at a bar in Manhattan.

The unnamed accuser filed a complaint against Gooding Jr on Monday, June 10, 2019. The woman claims that the actor groped her breast at the Magic Hour Rooftop Bar Sunday. She allegedly confronted the actor about the incident before exiting the bar and calling 911 to report it.

Now, the 51-year-old actor willingly surrendered himself to authorities to face the charges for the alleged misbehavior. Gooding Jr pleaded not guilty to the charges of a misdemeanor, forcible touching, and third-degree sexual abuse that relates to the unproven groping incident.

Cuba Gooding Jr Denies The Accusations

Cuba Gooding Jr confirmed that he was at the Magic Hour Rooftop Bar but denies that the groping incident happened. In an interview with TMZ, Gooding Jr defended himself by saying, “I trust the system and will let the process speak for itself. There’s a tape that shows what really happened and that’s the most important thing – let’s not take away from that.”

Mark Heller, Gooding Jr’s lawyer, was interviewed by CNN where he went on to say, “after I have extensively, with my staff, reviewed the video of almost two hours which reflects the entire event for which we are here today.” He also added, “Mr. Gooding has not acted inappropriately in any shape or form. Nothing in the video could even be considered ambiguous and I, frankly, am shocked and horrified that this case is being prosecuted.”

The judge has set the next court date for June 26th. Now, Gooding Jr was released on his own recognizance.

The New Orleans Incident

This is not the first time that Gooding Jr was involved in a bar-related incident. In New Orleans back in 2012, the actor was accused of pushing a bartender twice that led to a supposed arrest, but the complainant dropped the charges later on.

Cuba Gooding Jr is best known for his role as a professional football player in Jerry Maguire and for his unforgettable line in the movie, “show me the money.” That role landed the actor an Oscar Award in 1996. Recently, the actor was nominated for an Emmy Award for his role as O.J. Simpson in American Crime Story: The People v. O.J. Simpson.