Oscar-winning actor cubing Gooding Jr has pleaded guilty to forcibly touching a woman in a New York Nightclub.
The Jerry Maguire star has been accused of groping or forcibly kissing more than 20 women in incidents dating back over two decades.
The guilty plea applies to a protracted criminal case brought against the actor by three women who claim he violated them in 2018 and 2019 during nights out in Manhattan.
Gooding appeared before judge Curtis Farber of State Supreme Court in Manhattan to enter his plea on Wednesday (April 13).
He is expected to speak briefly at the hearing to explain to the court why he has chosen to admit guilt.
(Image: REUTERS)
Gooding was originally charged over an alleged incident on June 9, 2019, when he was in attendance at a party at the Magic Hour Rooftop Bar, a lounge at the Moxy NYC Times Square hotel in Manhattan.
A criminal complaint from the alleged victim claimed that Gooding put his hand on her breast and squeezed it without her consent.
He was subsequently charged over a second and third incident – an accusation of pinching a woman’s bottom at a Manhattan nightclub in October 2018 and in September 2018 at Italian restaurant Lavo, on East 58th Street.
(Image: REUTERS)
The Lavo allegation is reportedly the incident Mr Gooding has entered a guilty plea for.
A court filing from the District Attorney’s office in October 2019 noted that Gooding’s “prior acts demonstrate that his contacts with their intimate parts are intentional, not accidental and that he is not mistaken about their lack of consent.”
Gooding, 54, is thought to have agreed a no-jail plea deal with Manhattan prosecutors according to Fox News.
(Image: AFP via Getty Images)
The move will see him avoid the embarrassment of a public trial and his compliance with the terms of the deal would lead to the misdemeanour being reduced to a violation in six months time – which is not considered a crime.
The deal would also see him avoid getting a criminal record in a bid to minimise the damage done to his career.
Prosecutors originally wanted to call 19 additional accusers whose claims had not resulted in criminal charges as witnesses.
(Image: Getty Images for Ocean Drive)
However, a judge ruled that just two of the accusers would be allowed to testify at trial.
Gooding’s girlfriend Claudine De Niro has stood by the Boyz In The Hood star since he was first accused.
Claudine is the ex-wife of Hollywood royalty Robert De Niro’s son.
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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
