Academy Award winner, Cuba Gooding Jr. has pleaded guilty to forcibly touching a woman at a nightclub in 2018.
The actor’s plea deal comes around three years after his arrest. Though he was accused of violating 3 women at different New York nightclubs between 2018 and 2019, he has pleaded guilty to one of the allegations.
The 54-year-old actor told the judge he “kissed the waitress on her lips” without her consent at Lavo New York nightclub.
Also, he admitted to two other incidents of non-consensual contact. Before this, Gooding had denied the six middlemeanor counts and all allegations of wrongdoing.
His defense contended he was being “unfairly tarnished in the fervor of the #MeToo era.
“By placing the guilty plea, he will not face any immediate jail time as it was one of the conditions of the deal.
Other terms are continuation of alcohol and behavior modification treatment for no fewer than six months and no new arrests. If these terms are met, he can withdraw the misdemeanor plea and re-plead to harassment, which is a lesser violation.
While addressing his victims in the court, Gooding said: “I apologize for making anybody ever feel inappropriately touched.
“I am a celebrity figure. I come into contact with people. I never want them to feel slighted or uncomfortable in any way.”
