Cuba Gooding Jr. blasted by judge after showing up more than a half hour late for sex abuse hearing – The Sun

CUBA Gooding Jr. strolled into court this morning over half an hour late — and was reamed out by the judge overseeing his sexual misconduct case.

Gooding, 52, was supposed to appear in Manhattan’s Supreme Court at 9.30am, but the “Jerry Maguire” star apparently didn’t show up until 10.02.

But Judge Curtis Farber was having none of it.

“The case was called for 9:30 a.m. Why are you late?” Farber asked, according to the New York Post.

One of Gooding’s lawyers, Peter Toumbekis, apologized and blamed traffic for the team’s tardiness.

“You have to leave early next time,” Farber demanded of Gooding.

Gooding has been accused of groping multiple women at bars in New York City in 2018 and 2019.

In June, a woman claimed, Gooding grabbed a woman’s breast during a drunken encounter at a rooftop bar in Midtown Manhattan.

The court today scheduled a trial date of April 21 for Gooding, who won an Oscar in 1997 for his role in “Jerry Maguire.”

Farber ruled that two of Gooding’s accusers can testify against him during his trial — and asked Gooding if he understood he had to be present in court, or the trial would go on without him.

“Yes, your honor. Yes, I do,” Gooding said, per the Daily News.

Gooding previously pleaded not guilty to three different accusations of groping.

Since he was arrested in the alleged June incident, another 21 women have come forward with accusations Gooding was sexually inappropriate with them, dating back to 2001.

None of those cases have resulted in criminal charges, but state law allows prosecutors to call accusers not involved in the criminal case as witnesses in an effort to show a pattern of misconduct.

The “Snow Dogs” actor is criminally charged in three different cases connected to different recent incidents in New York.

Gooding has denied the charges against him.

His attorney, Mark Heller, previously said the allegations are “incredulous” and said the case is a waste of taxpayer money.

Gooding and his team left court Wednesday without commenting on the newly scheduled trial.

Prosecutors wanted an earlier trial date, but Gooding's defense team said it needed more time to examine the evidence.

Prosecutor Jenna Long said in a court filing that past incidents make it clear that Gooding's "contacts with (women’s) intimate parts are intentional, not accidental, and that he is not mistaken about their lack of consent.”

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