Before the trial could commence, recent court records revealed on Tuesday that Cuba Gooding Jr. reached a settlement regarding allegations of rape against him from a decade ago in a New York City hotel. The actor had consistently maintained, through his legal representatives, that his encounter with the woman was consensual, following their meeting at a nearby restaurant.
Scheduled to begin with jury selection in a New York federal court, the trial involved the Oscar-winning star of “Jerry Maguire” facing accusations that he met the woman in Manhattan, convinced her to accompany him to a hotel, and requested a stopover at his room to change his attire.
However, moments before jurors were due to gather in the courtroom, an entry in the official court record stated: “TRIAL OFF.” The entry further explained that the cancellation was based on consent, as the parties involved had resolved the matter.
Initially anonymous, the woman was required by Judge Paul A. Crotty last week to disclose her name during the trial. In her lawsuit, she asserted that Gooding had raped her in his room. In contrast, his lawyers maintained that the sexual encounter was consensual and alleged that she later boasted about having engaged in sexual relations with a celebrity.
The lawsuit sought $6 million in damages, and attorney Gloria Allred, among others representing the woman, chose not to comment. Requests for comments from other attorneys, including those representing Gooding, went unanswered.
The lawsuit targeted an individual who, according to authorities, has faced allegations of sexual misconduct from more than 30 other women, encompassing incidents of groping, unwanted kissing, and other inappropriate behavior.
Towards the end of last week, the judge bolstered the woman’s position for the trial and potential settlement negotiations by ruling that three other women could testify, recounting instances of sudden sexual assaults or attempted sexual assaults after encounters with Gooding in social settings like festivals, bars, nightclubs, and restaurants.
One of the intended trial witnesses was Kelsey Harbert, who reported to the police that Gooding had touched her without consent at the Magic Hour Rooftop Bar & Lounge near Times Square in 2019.
Following Gooding’s guilty plea in a New York state court last year, which spared him jail time or a criminal record, Harbert expressed her profound disappointment at never receiving her day in court.