Cuba Gooding Jr. Faces Two New Sexual Assault Lawsuits Before New York Adult Survivors Law Expires

The women claim Gooding Jr. groped them at two New York establishments just one year apart.

November 23, 2023

Academy Award-winning actor Cuba Gooding Jr. is being sued for two alleged incidents of sexual misconduct.

According to Deadline, the lawsuits were filed this week by two women, Jasmine Abbay and Kelsey Harbert, who claim that Gooding acted inappropriately with them in two New York City establishments. Abbay alleges that in September 2018, the Boyz in the Hood star forcibly kissed her without her consent while she was working as a cocktail waitress at midtown Manhattan nightclub LAVO.

A second woman, Kelsey Harbert, claims that Gooding groped her breast in June 2019, at a different midtown Manhattan rooftop bar, Magic Hour. “In response, Plaintiff grabbed Defendant’s hand in order to remove it from her breast to which Defendant then took her hand, put it up to his mouth, and tried to kiss it,” the suit reads.

“Our clients were deprived of the justice they sought in the criminal case,” stated Gloria Allred, a legal representative for the plaintiffs. “They are now seeking justice and accountability in their civil cases.”

Under New York's Adult Survivors Act, the women are seeking damages for sexual assault and battery in addition to attorney's fees. The Adult Survivors Act law, which has been used against other celebrities including Diddy, Axl Rose and Jamie Foxx, is a New York State law that allows women to sue their alleged abusers even if the statute of limitations has run out. The law expires after Thanksgiving Day.

Last April, Gooding pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge in relation to forcibly touching Abbay, whose name was undisclosed at the time. In October 2022, a judge determined that Gooding followed the terms of the plea agreement, granting the actor no prison time and a noncriminal harassment violation instead of a misdemeanor plea.