(New York) As a civil trial for a rape case was set to begin Tuesday morning in New York, it was learned that Cuba Gooding Jr. had settled out of court, according to court documents.
The actor had been accused of raping a woman in a New York hotel ten years ago. He had insisted, through lawyers, that his meeting with this woman was consensual.
The civil trial for damages was scheduled to begin Tuesday morning with jury selection in federal court in New York.
Oscar-winning Jerry Maguire star was facing allegations he met the complainant in Manhattan, persuaded the woman to meet him at a hotel and convinced her to stop by his room so he could change . In her lawsuit, she alleged that Gooding Jr. raped her in her bedroom.
Lawyers for the actor insisted, however, that it was consensual sex and that the complainant later bragged about having slept with a celebrity.
The woman had always proceeded anonymously, until last week when Judge Paul A. Crotty ruled she should reveal her identity at trial.
The lawsuit sought $6 million in damages. Attorney Gloria Allred, one of several attorneys for the woman, declined to comment on the settlement on Tuesday.
The civil lawsuit was brought against a man who authorities say committed sexual misconduct against more than 30 other women, including unwanted touching, kissing and other inappropriate behavior.
Late last week, the judge ruled he would let three women come to trial to tell stories that they had also been victims of sudden sexual assaults or attempted sexual assaults after meeting Gooding Jr. in settings social such as festivals, bars, nightclubs and restaurants.
One of those women was Kelsey Harbert, who told police Gooding Jr. fondled her without her consent at a restaurant and bar in 2019.
When Gooding Jr. pleaded guilty last year in New York state court to a reduced charge that spared him jail time or a criminal record, Ms. Harbert said she was extremely disappointed that she had not been able to benefit from a proper trial.
Cuba Gooding Jr, star of hugely popular films like Boyz n’ the Hood and Radio, was cleared to plead guilty in April 2022 to a “misdemeanor” charge, admitting he forcibly kissed a female employee at a New York bar in 2018.
By staying out of trouble and undergoing six months of alcohol and behavior therapy, Gooding Jr. was allowed to withdraw his guilty plea and plead guilty to a reduced charge of non-criminal harassment, clearing his criminal record and preventing further sanctions.
