Cuba Gooding Jr: Two new accusers allowed to testify at groping trial
Oscar-winning Jerry Maguire star will face trial starting in April
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Two women who have accused Cuba Gooding Jr of sexual misconduct will be allowed to testify at his trial on charges that he groped three other women at Manhattan bars in 2018 and 2019, a judge ruled Wednesday.
An April 21 trial date was set for Gooding, who previously pleaded not guilty to an updated indictment that covers the three accusations of groping.
Prosecutors said they had 19 other women who could testify that the Oscar-winning "Jerry Maguire" actor was also inappropriate with them in similar settings - bars, hotels and restaurants - as far back as 2001.
Gooding has denied the charges. His defence attorney, Mark Heller, previously called the allegations "incredulous" and assailed the prosecution as a waste of taxpayer dollars.
Gooding and his attorneys left Wednesday's proceeding without commenting.
The brief hearing at Manhattan criminal court came as opening statements began in the same building in the prosecution of Harvey Weinstein, a landmark moment for the #MeToo movement.
Heller has called the charges against Gooding a "distorted overreaction pandering to the current hypersensitive climate where innocent commonplace gestures are now misperceived and mischaracterised as offensive." He has accused prosecutors of amplifying long-ago allegations to bolster an otherwise weak case.
Attorneys in the case are expected to return to court next week for a hearing on a protective order governing discovery.
Prosecutors wanted an earlier trial date, but Gooding's defence team said it needed more time to examine the evidence.
Prosecutors asked Judge Curtis Farber to allow a parade of witnesses to testify that Gooding violated them in bars, hotels and restaurants as long ago as 2001. None of those claims resulted in criminal charges, but state law allows prosecutors to call accusers not involved in the criminal case as witnesses in an effort to show a pattern of misconduct.
Gooding prosecutor Jenna Long said in a court filing that the previous incidents make clear that Gooding's "contacts with (women's) intimate parts are intentional, not accidental, and that he is not mistaken about their lack of consent."
Farber, in a written ruling, said "the admission of all 19 uncharged prior incidents would result in undue prejudice." He added that admitting a "limited selection of incidents outweighs such prejudice."
Farber also denied a defence motion to dismiss the charges on the grounds that Gooding was not allowed to testify to the grand jury. The judge wrote that prosecutors "had no obligation to inform the defendant that a grand jury proceeding was pending."
Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments