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 The "Jerry Maguire" actor faces one misdemeanor account of
forcible touching in an incident on Sunday when an unidentified
woman said Gooding touched her breasts.
Gooding, who denies the accusation, emerged in handcuffs after
being charged at a New York police facility. He did not speak to
reporters.
He was the latest Hollywood figure to be swept up in a sexual
misconduct scandal that has roiled the entertainment industry in
the last two years.
Gooding's attorney, Mark J. Heller, said he was "completely
confident that (Gooding) will be totally exonerated." He told
reporters that Gooding will enter a not guilty plea at an
initial court appearance.
"There is not a scintilla of criminal culpability that can be
attributed to Cuba Gooding Jr.," Heller told reporters.
Heller said he was "shocked and horrified" that the case was
being prosecuted after he presented police with security video
from the bar that the attorney said showed no criminal behavior
by Gooding.
Gooding, 51, won a supporting actor Oscar in 1997 for "Jerry
Maguire" and had roles in "A Few Good Men," "The Butler" and the
television miniseries "The People v. O.J. Simpson."
The actor, who is divorced, is one of dozens of men in politics,
entertainment, sports and the business world who have been
accused of sexual misconduct since allegations against movie
producer Harvey Weinstein triggered the #MeToo movement.
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Weinstein is to stand trial in New York later this year on charges
of rape and forced oral sex involving two women. He has denied any
non-consensual sex.
Former "House of Cards" actor Kevin Spacey in January pleaded not
guilty to sexually assaulting an 18-year-old man at a Massachusetts
bar two years ago, while singer R. Kelly was charged in Chicago with
sexually assaulting three teens and a woman.
Heller accused the woman who lodged the complaint against Gooding
last weekend of seeking "simply to get their 15 minutes of fame" and
said he hoped she would herself be prosecuted once Gooding's case is
resolved.
New York media reported on Thursday that another woman had come
forward this week alleging inappropriate touching by Gooding in
2008.
Heller said Gooding had "no knowledge" of the alleged 2008 incident,
which falls outside the statute of limitations for any potential
charges.
(Reporting by Jill Serjeant; editing by Leslie Adler, Susan Thomas
and Richard Chang)
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