Actor Cuba Gooding Jr. reportedly plans on turning himself in to the NYPD this week after being accused of groping a woman at a NYC club last weekend. One of Gooding Jr.'s attorneys confirmed he plans to voluntarily surrender himself to police by Thursday, at which time he is expected to be booked for a misdemeanor charge of forcible touching.
An NYPD spokesperson said Gooding Jr. had not turned himself in as of Wednesday afternoon. NBC added that the NYPD's Special Victims Division is investigating the alleged incident, and looking to obtain video from the bar and anywhere else that would help the investigation.
On Monday, the Post reported that a 30-year-old woman told police the actor grabbed her breast while they were socializing at the Magic Hour Rooftop Bar and Lounge in Midtown around 9 p.m. on Sunday. The woman added Gooding Jr. was "highly intoxicated" and that after the alleged incident, they got into an argument that had to be broken up by security.
You can see video of Gooding Jr. at the rooftop bar that evening:
When asked about the incident by TMZ, Gooding Jr. first (seemingly randomly) applauded Jon Stewart for speaking out about 9/11 victims. He then said, "I trust the system," and claimed he was "absolutely not" guilty of anything: "I was at the club, I left. I met a bunch of people, I said hello, I took pictures and…you know, you have to have faith in what people are saying." He added, "There's a tape that shows what really happened — that's the most important thing."
He concluded his airport conversation with TMZ by sending a message to his fans: "I believe in the system, I'll let the process speak for itself. And don't forget what I said: Jon Stewart is riled up about our first responders who deserve benefits, everything for what they did for us as a nation."
