Key Highlights :
Cuba Gooding Jr., the Oscar-winning actor best known for his role in the movie “Jerry Maguire,” has settled accusations that he raped a woman in a New York City hotel a decade ago, according to court records. As jury selection was set to begin in New York federal court, the actor’s lawyers and the woman’s legal team reached an agreement to resolve the matter.
The woman had accused Gooding of meeting her at a Manhattan restaurant, persuading her to join him at a hotel, and convincing her to stop at his room so he could change clothing. She alleged that he then raped her in the hotel room. Gooding’s lawyers, however, insisted that the encounter was consensual.
The woman had proceeded anonymously until last week, when Judge Paul A. Crotty ruled that she would have to reveal her name at trial. Her lawsuit sought $6 million in damages. Attorney Gloria Allred, one of several representing the woman, declined comment on the settlement. Other lawyers, including those representing Gooding, did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Late last week, the judge seemed to strengthen the woman’s hand at trial and in settlement negotiations by ruling that he would let three other women testify that they also were subjected to sudden sexual assaults or attempted sexual assaults after meeting Gooding in social settings such as festivals, bars, nightclubs and restaurants. One of the women who had planned to testify at the trial was Kelsey Harbert, who told police Gooding fondled her without her consent at Magic Hour Rooftop Bar & Lounge near Times Square in 2019. Harbert said last year after Gooding pleaded guilty in New York state court to a charge that spared him from jail or a criminal history that never getting her day in court was “more disappointing than words can say.”
Gooding had been permitted to plead guilty in April 2022 to a misdemeanor, admitting that he forcibly kissed a worker at a New York nightclub in 2018. By staying out of trouble and completing six months of alcohol and behavioral counseling, Gooding was permitted to withdraw his guilty plea and plead guilty to a non-criminal harassment violation, eliminating his criminal record and preventing further penalties.
The settlement of the rape accusation against Gooding marks a dramatic conclusion to the decade-long legal saga. Despite the settlement, the actor still faces criticism from those who believe he has not been held accountable for his alleged actions. It remains to be seen how the settlement will affect Gooding’s career and public image going forward.