Embattled Hollywood actor Cuba Gooding Jr. has pleaded guilty to charges in his sexual abuse case.
On Wednesday, Gooding admitted in court to forcibly touching a woman at a New York nightclub in 2018.
“I apologize for ever making anybody feel inappropriately touched,” Gooding told the courtroom.
The guilty plea comes almost three years after the “Jerry Maguire” star was arrested, with his high-priced lawyers using every trick in the book to delay the case.
While Gooding, 54, was accused of violating three different women at various Manhattan bars in 2018 and 2019, he only pleaded guilty to one of the allegations.
According to People, “In June 2019, Gooding turned himself in to the New York Police Department following allegations that he groped a woman at a rooftop bar in Manhattan.
“The woman said Gooding was ‘highly intoxicated’ at the time of the incident and groped her breasts at the Magic Hour Rooftop Bar and Lounge in Manhattan.
“Two more accusations came out months later, one of which is the one he pleaded guilty to.
“Separately, in 2020, Gooding was accused of raping a woman twice in 2013 inside his New York City hotel room.
“He has denied the claims and the case is ongoing.”
Gooding had previously proclaimed his innocence and pleaded not guilty to six misdemeanor counts denying all allegations of wrongdoing.
But he took a deal after his lawyers were able to guarantee he would serve no jail time if he continues the alcohol and behavior modification treatment he began in 2019 for 6 more months.
He also cannot have any arrests.
If he violates those conditions he faces one year in jail.
Cuba Gooding Jr arrives at court for his groping case pic.twitter.com/P7jKfU2z7R
— Victoria Bekiempis (@vicbekiempis) April 13, 2022
WATCH: Cuba Gooding Jr. walks out of a police precinct with handcuffs and smiles after being charged with forcible touching https://t.co/u5ackWE4Gs pic.twitter.com/UblKOZTosu
— CBS News (@CBSNews) June 14, 2019
Cuba Gooding Jr — accused by dozens of women of sexual assault, some rape — just pleaded guilty to misdemeanor forcible touching charges. His lawyer Frank Rothman stunned the court when he interrupted a victim during her impact statement and accused her of being delusional. pic.twitter.com/4yu4nf3mjo
— Molly Crane-Newman (@molcranenewman) April 13, 2022
From TMZ:
Remember, a grand jury indicted Gooding in that case … after he’d been arrested for another allegation.
A different accuser said he had touched her breast without consent while they were at a rooftop bar in the Big Apple.
The case also included allegations from a server at TAO Downtown who said Cuba pinched her buttocks in 2018 after making a sexually suggestive remark to her.
As we reported, Cuba wanted the whole indictment tossed out of court and initially pled not guilty to all 6 counts, but he ended up taking a plea deal.
