Cuba Gooding Jr. accused of groping 14 women at bars and clubs

Prosecutors on Tuesday accused Cuba Gooding, Jr., of a long-standing pattern of approaching unfamiliar women in bars and kissing, pinching, biting or groping them.

Gooding appeared in court in Manhattan for an arraignment on four misdemeanor counts of forcible touching and third degree sexual abuse. He pleaded not guilty, and is due back in court on Dec. 13.

Gooding had previously been charged with grabbing a woman’s breast at the Magic Hour Rooftop Bar on June 9. Last week, a grand jury indicted the actor on two charges in connection with that incident, in addition to two charges related to a second incident, in which he allegedly pinched a woman’s butt at the TAO nightclub on Oct. 24, 2018.

Prosecutors said they also intended to call another 12 women to testify in support of the charges. The so-called “Molineux” witnesses allege that Gooding groped them, bit their shoulders or grinded against them in incidents dating back to 2001.

“Defendant’s past behavior shows that he routinely approaches women while at bars or nightclubs with whom he has limited or no prior interaction, and touches them inappropriately,” wrote assistant district attorney Jenna Long.

Long argued that the witnesses could demonstrate that Gooding’s conduct is not innocent or accidental, but rather part of a well established pattern of non-consensual touching.

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