Oscar-winning actor Cuba Gooding Jr sued for allegedly groping female nightclub worker
LOS ANGELES: Oscar-winning actor Cuba Gooding Jr has been sued by a New York nightclub server for assault, battery and intentional infliction of emotional distress.
According to court documents obtained by The Blast, Natasha Ashworth, who works at a Tao nightclub, was serving Gooding's table, when he asked her, "Do you want to see my impression of a penis?" She said no.
He then drank from his glass and spit liquid out of his mouth. She walked away.
As per the suit, at 4:20 am, Ashworth was standing at the bar when Gooding approached her and pinched her butt.
She asked him to behave, but he replied, "Aw, that's no fun", and then rejected the charge, saying he had only touched her back.
The suit further claimed that Gooding tried again to touch Ashworth, but she deflected his hand.
After he spoke with management, he allegedly tried to touch her rear a third time, which she avoided by turning away.
The court documents added that Gooding allegedly said, "Oh, you don't have to worry, because I am never coming back here again."
The suit stated that it was the first time in Ashworth's four years as a server that a customer had subjected her to such sexually aggressive behaviour.
Gooding, who is facing misconduct allegations from 14 women, was indicted last week on four misdemeanor counts, two of which stem from the alleged nightclub incident in October 2018.
The actor pleaded not guilty to the counts.
He is due back in court on December 13.