Gooding faces three counts of forcible touching and three counts of sex abuse to the third degree in separate incidents involving three different women in New York. He pleaded not guilty to all charges and denies any wrongdoing. Gooding arrived at the New York Supreme Court wearing a black face mask, which he briefly unhooked to reveal that the inside read “Black Lives Matter.” He was flanked by his attorney Peter Toumbekis, who argued in court Thursday to be able to question people seen in a video around the time Gooding allegedly abused women.
“We believe that the video unequivocally will show that Cuba committed absolutely no crime and we expect this case to be dismissed in one day,” Toumbekis said. Gooding, 52, has pleaded not guilty to six misdemeanor counts of forcible touching and sexual abuse. He faces up to a year behind bars if convicted.
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