Cuba Gooding Jr Avoids Rape Accusation Trial With Last-Minute Settlement

Cuba Gooding Jr. is once again saved from going to jail after he escaped trial for rape minutes before the scheduled hearing.

The Hollywood veteran's status as an award-winning actor remains undisputed, given his sensational performances. However, the entertainer's personality behind the cameras has been a cause for concern over the years.

Several women have accused the 55-year-old of sexual abuse and inappropriate behavior, with an unidentified woman filing a rape lawsuit in 2020. Despite her claims, the alleged victim skipped her day in court for a settlement.

On June 6, the Associated Press reported that the "Boyz n the Hood" star averted having the law dig into his controversial relationship with an anonymous woman. The media personality allegedly raped the female in a New York City hotel over a decade ago, as stated in the lawsuit.

Following the accusations, the father of three sang tunes of innocence through his attorneys. The entertainer's lawyers claimed the pair's intimate relationship happened with consent after they met at a nearby restaurant and that the woman had bragged afterward to others that she had sex with a celebrity.

However, the plaintiff's narrative was different. According to court records, the woman claimed the Oscar winner convinced her to join him at a hotel following their encounter in Manhattan.

Once at the lodging, the 55-year-old persuaded her to come to his room with the excuse of changing his clothes but had allegedly raped her. Despite the severity of the crime she insisted occurred, both parties chose to settle privately instead of battling it out in court.

The trial, set to start with a jury selection in New York federal court, ended minutes before the jurors assembled. A calendar entry in the official court record read: "TRIAL OFF" and "Reason for cancellation (on consent): the parties have resolved the matter."

The woman, who wanted $6 million in damages, might have wished to keep her anonymity by settling outside the court. Per reports, the alleged victim was allowed to remain unidentified during the proceedings until last week. Judge Paul A. Crotty had ruled that she would be required to reveal her name at the trial.

Before their settlement, the anonymous lady seemingly had the upper hand in the case as the judge ruled to allow three of Gooding's past victims to take the stand. These women claimed they experienced sudden sexual assaults or attempted sexual assaults after meeting the "Men of Honor" star in social places like nightclubs and restaurants.

These three alleged victims came from a whopping list of more than thirty other women. Authorities revealed that Gooding had been accused of sexual misconduct against these females. The 55-year-old's crimes included groping, unwanted kissing, and other inappropriate behavior.

One of the women scheduled to share her narrative at the trial was Kelsey Harbert, who previously butted heads with the "Gifted Hands: The Ben Carson Story," actor for touching her without her consent at a New York City bar in 2019.

Months before successfully ending his rape trial with a settlement, the "Jerry Maguire" actor made headlines for escaping jail after groping Kelsey Herbert's breasts without her consent. The TV personality pleaded guilty to the misdemeanor charge last April.

Following his admission of guilt, the father of three reportedly apologized to the courtroom for "ever making anybody feel inappropriately touched." The 55-year-old avoided serving time behind bars by meeting the conditions of a plea agreement where he had to receive six months of counseling without any arrests.

This meant that the "Boat Trip" star's harassment charge would remain on his record while the criminal charges were removed. Herbert, the woman who accused Gooding of groping her, aired her grievances about the development.

"This plea deal feels like a misstep. After three long years of trying to hold Mr. Gooding accountable for touching my breast without my consent, having my day in court taken away from me is more disappointing than words can say," the victim lamented.

Herbert's lawyer, Gloria Allred, also shared similar sentiments, describing the plea deal as "an insult" to her client and the other women who had accused the Hollywood veteran of harassment. The attorney stated it was a "prosecutorial gift to a celebrity undeserving of such an outcome."