Cuba Gooding Jr., the renowned actor known for his role in “Jerry Maguire,” has reached a settlement with a woman who filed a $6 million lawsuit accusing him of raping her ten years ago, Your Content has learned.
The agreement was reached moments before the jury selection was scheduled to commence in a federal court in Manhattan.
By finalizing this last-minute deal, Gooding, an Oscar winner, avoids the public disclosure of the alleged assault during the court proceedings.
Likewise, the plaintiff is relieved from the requirement to disclose her identity, as the judge ruled that she could not participate in the trial anonymously.
Gooding has consistently denied the allegations, claiming that the sexual encounter was consensual. His legal team has not provided immediate comments in response to requests.
The specific details of the settlement were not made public, and Gloria Allred, the attorney representing the woman, declined to comment.
The plaintiff initially filed the lawsuit in August 2020, seeking $6 million in damages. She alleged that Gooding enticed her to his hotel room and raped her after they met at a restaurant in Manhattan.
Last week, U.S. District Judge Paul A. Crotty ruled that three other women who accused Gooding Jr. of assault or attempted assault would be allowed to testify during the trial.
Prosecutors claim that Gooding has faced allegations of unwanted sexual touching from a total of 30 women.
In a separate criminal case in June 2019, Gooding was arrested after a woman reported that he had touched her inappropriately without her consent at a bar near Times Square.
Subsequently, he faced additional charges related to allegedly touching women without their consent.
In April 2022, Gooding pleaded guilty to forcible touching for kissing one of the women on the lips without her consent.
This agreement with the prosecutors enabled him to avoid imprisonment, provided he completed six months of alcohol and behavior counseling, and it would clear his record upon completion, according to CBS News.
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