|
 Gooding, dressed in a gray suit and tie, appeared calm during a
brief appearance at the court. His trial had previously been
scheduled to begin Tuesday, but prosecutors said they needed
more time to gather video evidence and turn it over to Gooding's
lawyers.
His lawyer, Mark Heller, told reporters after the hearing that
he believed prosecutors were "trying to procrastinate" because
Gooding's accuser was not cooperating with them.
Justin Henry, a spokesman for the prosecutors, declined to
comment on that claim.
"Cuba is extremely confident that this case will be dismissed,"
Heller said. "Cuba takes the position, and we do as well, that
he is someone that should never have been prosecuted."
Gooding, 51, was charged with one misdemeanor count of forcible
touching after an unidentified woman said the actor had touched
her breasts. He has denied the allegation.
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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.
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.
Gooding 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."
(Reporting By Brendan Pierson in New York; Editing by Bernadette
Baum)
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