Jania Ashlynn
On Tuesday, right before a trial was set to start, Cuba Gooding Jr. settled allegations that he raped a woman in a New York City hotel ten years ago. The actor claimed that he and the woman, which he met at a restaurant, had consensual sex.
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Trial Details
The trial was set to begin with the selection of a jury in a federal court in New York. The actor was accused of meeting a woman in Manhattan, asking her to join him at a hotel, and convincing her to stop at his room so he could change his clothes.
Jurors were due to come together in a courtroom, but a notice in the official court record stated that the trial had been canceled. The reason for the cancellation was stated as both parties having resolved the matter.
Last week, Judge Paul A. Crotty ruled that the anonymous woman who had filed a lawsuit against Cuba Gooding Jr. would have to reveal her name at trial. In her lawsuit, she claimed that Gooding had raped her in his room. However, his lawyers argued that the encounter was consensual, and that the woman had bragged to others afterwards about having sex with a celebrity.
Gloria Allred, one of the attorneys representing a woman in a lawsuit for $6 million in damages, declined to comment. No response was immediately received from other lawyers, including those representing the defendant, Cuba Gooding.
Lawsuit and Allegations
The lawsuit outlined allegations of sexual misconduct against more than 30 women. This included kissing, groping, and other inappropriate behavior.
The judge made a ruling last week which gave the woman more power in the trial and negotiations. He decided to let three other women testify that they had experienced sudden sexual assaults or attempted assaults after meeting Gooding in places such as festivals, bars, nightclubs and restaurants.
In April 2022, Gooding was allowed to plead guilty to a misdemeanor charge, confessing that in 2018 he had kissed a worker at a nightclub in New York without their consent.
Gooding was given the opportunity to withdraw his guilty plea and plead guilty to a non-criminal harassment violation, which would eliminate his criminal record and prevent any further penalties. To do so, he had to stay out of trouble and complete six months of alcohol and behavioral counseling.
