Prosecutor: We Want To Use Testimony Of 12 Accusers At Trial Of Cuba Gooding Jr.
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) – Cuba Gooding Jr. pleaded not guilty Tuesday after being indicted on two instances of alleged sexual misconduct.
He was released on his own recognizance.
The Manhattan district attorney accused the Oscar winner of being a serial predator. Prosecutors said they are willing to call 12 additional accusers to testify against him.
There are no charges in those incidents, but investigators say they happened in five states between 2001 and 2018.
Gooding smiled as he entered court handcuffed to be arraigned on new charges of forcible touching.
He was already facing sex abuse charges after being accused of grabbing a 29-year-old woman's breast without her consent on June 9 at Magic Hour Rooftop Bar & Lounge near Times Square.
The woman told police she thought he was intoxicated.
The new allegation is from another accuser who claims Gooding forcibly touched her at Tao downtown back in October of 2018.
He was indicted by a grand jury on all four misdemeanor charges Tuesday, which he pleaded not guilty to.
In an attempt to strengthen its case, the assistant district attorney dropped a bombshell druing the argument, claiming to have 12 other accusers who will testify.
The DA aims to establish a pattern of behavior at trial - bad behavior that allegedly took place between 2001 and 2018 in bars and restaurants all over the country.
"We are shocked, outraged and absolutely dumbfounded that the district attorney has wasted the taxpayers' money, resources and time," Gooding's attorney Mark Heller said.
Outside court, Heller argued that the prosecution was delaying the case to elicit more false accusers, one of whome propositioned Gooding to pay for her silence. The actor declined, trusting the justice system to find him innocent.
"We hope that this case be a hallmark case for the not me movement," Heller said.
Cuba has not been charged with crimes in connection to any of the 12 new accusers mentioned by the prosecution. A judge will decide at his next appearance whether this evidence against Gooding is admissable.
A round of applause erupted as Gooding walked out of the courtroom, CBS2's Tara Jakeway reported. A group of fans had camped out down the hall.
He'll be back at court Dec. 13.
