Cuba Gooding Jr. Pleads Not Guilty to New Sexual Abuse Charges

Published
103019_cuba_gooding_jr-kal-v2 10/24/18
THE ALLEGED GROPING AT MAGIC HOUR
UPDATE

4:23 PM PT -- The D.A.'s office now tells us it was referring to a version of our video that had been edited by another outlet when it said the video was incomplete. Prosecutors have now clarified ... our video shows the complete physical encounter.

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12:58 PM PT -- The D.A.'s office released a statement saying, "We’ve provided defense counsel a short clip from one of the incidents and, within 24 hours, that video had been released to the media."

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It continues, "We feel that the release is inappropriate and an effort to taint the jury pool. The video released was also incomplete and only shows conduct from immediately after the charged incident."

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We've asked the D.A. to specify the incident, as the only other incident mentioned in the indictment is a sexual remark Gooding allegedly made ... but we have not gotten clarification.

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11:51 AM PT -- Cuba's attorney, Mark Jay Heller, just spoke to reporters and went off on prosecutors ... calling them out for "maliciously prosecuting" Cuba. Heller said he's confident this case will not result in any conviction.

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As for the TAO video ... Heller describes it this say: "At roughly 4:30 AM at the end of the day, Cuba is exiting the facility and, with the back of his hand -- his fingernail -- he taps the lady in the back and turns around to give her a high-five just as a salutation of goodbye. It's not criminal conduct whatsoever."

UPDATE

11:31 AM PT -- Cuba has just pled not guilty to the new charges. He was seen walking into court in handcuffs for his arraignment. As we reported ... he faces 2 more sexual abuse charges after a third NYC accuser emerged.

UPDATE

Cuba Gooding Jr. definitely made contact with the backside of a TAO nightclub server -- that's clear in this surveillance video, but it could still be key in helping the actor beat the charges.

TMZ's obtained security footage of the alleged butt-touching incident that got Gooding indicted on 2 of the 6 counts he's facing. Natasha Ashworth claims he used his right hand to pinch her right buttock as he was walking past her at TAO in NYC ... around 4:20 AM on Oct. 24, 2018.

Two camera angles back up much of Ashworth's account of what went down. After the initial contact, you can see she's agitated and there's a heated convo. She claims she told Gooding not to touch her butt, and he replied, "Aw, that's no fun, and I didn't, I touched your back."

The video shows Cuba attempting to point out where he claims he touched her. However, as prosecutors said in the indictment ... you see Natasha grab his arm and motion him away.

What's NOT clear from the video is what kind of contact Gooding made with Natasha's backside -- a glancing touch, a pat or the "pinch" she and prosecutors allege. That could help the Oscar winner if this goes before a jury, where prosecutors would have to prove the allegation beyond a reasonable doubt.

On the other hand, Gooding is charged with sexual abuse in the third degree and forcible touching -- and a jury could see the contact constituting the latter.

His attorney, Mark Jay Heller tells us, "This is a bogus butt grope claim. The video proves Cuba is innocent beyond a reasonable doubt."

Gooding will be in a Manhattan courtroom Thursday to be arraigned on counts 5 and 6 -- related to a separate accuser.

061319_cuba_gooding_jr_security_footage_grope_kal_v5 JUNE 2019
THE VIDEO EVIDENCE AT TAO

TMZ broke the story, there's also security footage of the rooftop bar incident from this past June which resulted in the initial indictment. You'll recall, that accuser claims Gooding touched her breast.

He's pleading not guilty to all 6 counts.

As we first reported ... Ashworth is also suing Gooding Jr. for assault, battery and intentional infliction of emotional distress. Her attorney, Joshua Kleiman, declined to comment on the surveillance video.

Originally Published -- 1:00 AM PT

Jenelle Evans Files for Divorce ... David's Screwing Up My Business

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Jenelle Evans has thrown in the towel on her marriage ... because she's filed for divorce from David Eason.

The former 'Teen Mom' star said, "Nobody gets into a marriage expecting it to end but i know that's what is best for me, and for my kids. Today I've filed papers to start that process."

She doesn't say what caused her to end the marriage, but our sources tell us Jenelle believes she will not have a career in any field if she stays with David. She says she's looking out for her kids, knowing that she must provide for them.

We're told she also has come to realize her marriage to David was anything but healthy. As we extensively reported, David shot and killed the family dog after it nipped at their 2-year-old child, Ensley.

Children's Services investigated, the kids were temporarily removed from the home and there were challenges to custody in court. They eventually got the kids back, but MTV dropped Jenelle and she's had a hard time making her next business move ... in part because of her relationship with David.

They married in Sept. 2017 and were together 2 years before that.

Jenelle says, "I appreciate the support from everybody who has asked how I am. me and the kids are doing great. We need some time to be together. But you'll hear from us again soon."

This will be Jenelle's second divorce.

Kylie Jenner Files Restraining Order Against Fan ... Who Showed Up at Her House

Published
UPDATE

3:02 PM PT -- The man has officially been charged with 2 counts, including misdemeanor trespass by driving on private property, and a felony for bringing contraband into the jail -- the glass pipe.

UPDATE

12:17 PM PT -- Law enforcement sources tell TMZ the man had a glass pipe on him and was arrested for being under the influence. We're told the L.A. County District Attorney's Office is going to file misdemeanor trespassing charges.

Kylie Jenner just got a restraining order against a man who showed up at her home, aggressively knocked at her door and asked to see her.

According to the docs, filed by Kylie's lawyer Shawn Chapman Holley and obtained by TMZ, a guy came her home Tuesday and walked up Kylie's driveway and started pounding the door. He claimed he was there to see her. A security guard escorted him off the property and he was arrested.

A security guard filed legal docs saying the guy was acting erratic and nervous and get this ... even though she's in a gated community he was able to hike onto the property and get to her front door.

Kylie says she's scared for Stormi and her own safety and she's afraid the guy will continue to stalk her and come to her home in the future. She says the guy follows her and other members of her family on social media.

Kylie was not home when the guy showed up.

He's been ordered to stay 100 yards clear of her home, her car and her.

Originally Published -- 11:54 AM PT

Kim Kardashian Sues Makeup App for $10 Mil ... How Dare You Steal My Photo!!!

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Kim Kardashian says her image is worth millions -- more than $10 million -- and that's why she's suing a makeup app for allegedly jacking one of her pics.

Kim claims in the new lawsuit, obtained by TMZ, iHandy used a 2017 photo of her to promote a makeup and beauty manipulation app. What's especially galling to Kim -- the photo was one she used to promote her own beauty line.

Kim's lawyer scoffed at iHandy's defense ... that it had no idea it was Kim in the pic they used. The lawsuit says, "Defendant claim, absurdly, as its alleged defense ... that they didn't know that the unlicensed, unauthorized photo they knowingly stole and misappropriated was that of [Kim Kardashian West] ... one of the most famous and recognizable women in the world."

According to the lawsuit ... Kim's lawyer claims iHandy "even had the audacity to threaten [Kim Kardashian West] not to bring claims against them for their blatant infringement, or they would go after her."

The app in question offers "perfect selfies with professional beauty and body retouch tools, including face life, smooth, concealer, slim and more."

As for why she's suing for $10 mil plus, the lawsuit says it includes the cost of licensing her photo and using her likeness. She also wants them to cough up any profits they made from using her photo.

R. Kelly MIA From Court ... With Toe-tally Nasty Excuse!!!

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UPDATE

10:05 AM PT -- Greenberg spoke to reporters outside the courtroom and explained the toe situation, but says he doesn't know which digit or even which foot is affected.

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Steven Greenberg
TOE JAMMED
UPDATE

He also provided some details on the case ... sounds like it will be ongoing for months, at the very least.

R. Kelly's officially got problems from head-to-toe -- an infection on one of his little piggies forced him to miss a date ... with the judge.

The singer's lawyer, Steven Greenberg, says Kelly was absent from federal court in Chicago Wednesday because he had an infection that required his toenail to be removed.

Kelly was worried someone would step on his ailing tootsie if he appeared in the courtroom ... according to Greenberg. He adds that Kelly is in a walking boot as he recovers from the infection and procedure.

As for the hearing ... it was mostly procedural and just the lawyers for both sides were present -- no defendants were there either. The next hearing was scheduled for February.

The case is one of several sexual assault cases against Kelly ... he's also facing federal charges in New York and has state cases in Illinois and Minnesota.

No word if any future hearings for any of those cases will be impacted by the, umm ... bump and grinding of his toenail. Nasty.

Originally published -- 8:47 AM PT

'RHOA' Star Eva Marcille Don't Give Custody to My Baby Daddy ... He's a Violent, 'Ticking Time Bomb'

Published
UPDATE

11:00 AM PT -- Kevin McCall Jr. just fired back at his ex, with his attorney, Adamma McKinnon, telling TMZ that his past shouldn't hinder his ability to be there for his daughter right now. She says, "Fatherhood or the right to be a Father is a highly esteemed privilege. Each and every human being has a shortcoming and has made a mistake a time or two; yet mistakes or shortcomings should never prohibit a father from serving as a father to his son or daughter."

UPDATE

McKinnon adds, "Such denial becomes a disservice to the innocent child as it serves a child's best interests to foster a bond with both parents. I look forward to working with counsel for Mrs. Sterling to ensure that Mr. McCall will be able to enjoy his privilege of fatherhood with their lovely daughter going forward and under the direction of the presiding Court."

UPDATE

She finishes by saying, "Mr. McCall's primary focus has always been and will continue to be the best interests of his daughter."

Eva Marcille is pleading with a judge to keep her baby daddy away from their daughter, because she fears he's capable of going on a killing spree like Chris Dorner.

The 'RHOA' star filed legal docs, obtained by TMZ, responding to Kevin McCall Jr.'s request to have the judge reevaluate their custody arrangement for 5-year-old Marley Rae -- but Eva says there's no need to because her ex is dangerous.

In the docs, Eva claims Kevin is unstable and has admitted to her he could do worse damage than Dorner -- the ex-cop who went on a killing rampage in 2013 that ended with a manhunt and fatal shootout in Southern California.

Eva also claims Kevin praised a man that killed her good friend and himself in a murder-suicide. She alleges he referred to the guy as his "hero." Eva even included a screenshot from one of Kevin's IG posts where he seemed to make ominous threats against her ... and called himself a "ticking time bomb."

Adding insult to injury, Eva says Kevin's been wrapped up in more legal woes -- including a recent domestic violence charge -- which she believes should disqualify him from spending time with their daughter.

According to the docs, Eva claims Kevin's not only been an absentee father for most of Marley's life, but he also hasn't paid a dime of child support.

She says nothing needs to change in terms of custody, and she wants a judge to toss Kevin's request entirely.

We reached out to Kevin ... so far, no word back.

Originally Published -- 9:35 AM PT

R. Kelly Fork Over Your Royalties ... To Cover Child Support

Published | Updated

R. Kelly's been ordered to use the money from his extensive music catalog to pay his ex-wife child support.

According to legal docs, obtained by TMZ, a judge just ordered the R&B singer to use his royalties from entities such as BMI and Sony to pay Drea Kelly the $20,833 he owes her each month.

You'll recall ... Drea's been coming after Kelly for back child support, and at one point he was so far behind on payments he ended up in jail. He eventually squared things up for that tab, but he's gotta keep up with the monthly payments.

According to the docs, Kelly's asking the court to cut him a little slack, but for now the judge says the dough must be drawn from those hefty royalties.

As we've reported, Kelly's had plenty of financial issues ... scrambling to come up with cash for bail, child support and even a retainer for famed defense lawyer Tom Mesereau ... which never happened.

Kelly is currently in jail awaiting trial on numerous federal and state charges.

Kevin Hart I'm Not Suing Driver of Car Accident ... Covering My Own Bills

Published | Updated

Kevin Hart appears to be sparing the driver of a nasty car wreck that nearly killed him  -- because we've learned he isn't planning to take the guy to court.

Sources close to the comedian tell TMZ ... Kevin does not intend to sue driver Jared Black, whom the CHP determined caused the crash by driving recklessly. In fact, we're told Kevin's not even going to file a claim with Jared's insurance company to cover his medical bills and the cost of the 1970 Plymouth Baraccuda, which was totaled in the single-car crash.

Our sources say Kevin likes Jared and Jared's fiancee is close to Kevin's wife, Eniko. The fiancee, Rebecca, is Eniko's personal trainer.

We're told Kevin will use his personal health insurance to cover medical costs. It's not like he needs the money. It's unclear whether he's just going to write off the value of the car.

The medical bills are going to be huge. Kevin had surgery for 3 fractures on his back and is undergoing intensive therapy. All of that put the medical bills in the stratosphere.

Here's the kicker... we're told that Jared himself has lawyered up, and could file suit against Kevin for not having the proper safety harnesses in the car. If he does sue, there's a problem, because no one in the car was even wearing their safety belt. So, even if there were harnesses, it wouldn't have done anyone any good if no one strapped in.

The wild card ... there's a long way to go before the statute of limitations runs, so Kevin has plenty of time to change his mind ... if he's so inclined.

Felicity Huffman I Mean Business ... When it Comes to Probation

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Felicity Huffman is swapping her prison green jumpsuit for a business casual look ... but she's still serious about settling her debt to society.

The "Desperate Housewives" star and her hubby, William H. Macy, headed into a downtown L.A. building that's homes to the federal probation offices. Unclear exactly who Felicity met with a hearty handshake outside the building, but we do know she was required to check in with her probation officer within 72 hours of being released from prison.

As we reported ... Felicity got outta jail Friday after doing just 11 days behind bars at FCI Dublin in Northern California for her role in the college bribery scandal.

She quickly made her presence felt ... and might have even made a friend or two while in the big house.

Anyway, as part of her sentence, Felicity also has to log 250 hours of community service -- which she might have gotten a jump on last month -- and remain under supervised release for one year.

Certainly looks like she's toeing the line when it comes to sticking to her sentencing guidelines.

Dave East I Got A Concussion During Three-Way ... Criminal Case Dismissed

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Dave East is off the hook for misdemeanor battery stemming from his Vegas three-way gone wrong ... and it's all because he told the judge he sustained a concussion during the fight.

Dave's attorney, Stacey Richman, tells TMZ ... she submitted medical documentation showing Dave suffered a concussion during the altercation, and as a result, the criminal case against the rapper was dropped. Richman says that injury shows Dave did not instigate the incident, and "he attempted to responsibly quell the situation."

Court records confirm the criminal case has been dismissed.

We broke the story ... Dave was cited for misdemeanor battery in Vegas last month after cops said bottles and punches were thrown in the middle of his 3-way sexual encounter at the Delano hotel.

As we reported ... Dave told cops one of the ladies started hurling champagne bottles at him from across the room, and he claimed two made contact. Richman said Dave went for a CAT scan after the incident ... and apparently the results showed he sustained a concussion.

No word if Dave is planning to leave his three-way days behind him, but he does tell TMZ, "I always treat women with nothing but respect." He also says he is glad he can move forward from this incident.

David Schwimmer NYC Home Gets Unwelcome Visit ... By Brick-Wielding Man

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David Schwimmer's home became a landing pad for a guy who pivoted in the wrong direction -- and, unfortunately, he got arrested for it ... TMZ has learned.

A spokesperson for the NYPD tells us that a 29-year-old man named Eric Rosa was arrested early Sunday morning around 12:30 AM ET for criminal possession of a weapon and criminal trespass. So ... what's that got to do with our good friend, Ross Geller, you may ask?

As it turns out, the place this guy was nabbed at happened to be Dave's East Village residence -- a luxurious 6-story house, per online records -- but it doesn't appear to be an attempted break-in or targeted on the face of things ... so Dave should be able to rest easy.

Here's what happened, per law enforcement sources with direct knowledge. We're told Rosa somehow made his way to a high up ledge that connected David's building to a separate neighboring property, and the guy literally fell into Dave's back yard.

You might've guessed it by now ... our law enforcement sources say cops believe the guy was pretty wasted and lost his balance trying to walk between buildings.

Anyway, we're told that while the man was in David's yard ... he found a brick and used it to smash David's window, completely shattering it. Our sources also say that responding officers believed the guy was trying to alert someone that he needed help getting out.

Well, it got somebody's attention alright. We're told a person inside heard the commotion and called 911. BTW, David himself was NOT home during the incident. Still ... pretty freaky.

Our guess is that this fella might've been trying to make his way to the ugly naked guy's place across the way ... and mistakenly dropped in on Ross' crib instead. Doesn't sound like anyone was there for him either until it was too late. Bummer ...

'Supernatural' Star Sam Arrested at His Austin Haunt ... Drunk in Public & Assault

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"Supernatural" star Jared Padalecki was arrested at a club he tends to frequent quite often -- which makes this story all the more ghastly.

Jared -- who plays Sam Winchester on the show, opposite Jensen Ackles -- was busted by cops early Sunday morning in Austin, TX outside of a lounge called Stereotype. Per his booking sheet, he's facing two counts of assault and one count of public intoxication.

Based on video TMZ obtained in the moments leading up to Jared's arrest ... you can see why. The guy was getting physical on the sidewalk, and cops had to get involved.

Eyewitnesses on the scene tell us that at first, Jared allegedly struck a bartender in the face from inside the establishment ... and that a friend tried calming him down outside, but got put into a headlock after a standoff, which you can see here in the footage.

We're also told he got into it with the general manager of the place, and allegedly struck him in the face as well. Eventually, Jared was restrained by police ... but not before pulling out what we're told was a wad of cash, and allegedly flashing it to the officers.

As for Jared's connection to Stereotype -- it's a bit hazy, but he's definitely a regular and might even be an investor too. Local reports suggest he straight-up owns the joint -- he and Jensen own respective businesses in Austin aside from this, BTW -- and we could probably buy that, considering he was there opening night last year, and drops in a lot.

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Jared's bond is set at  $15k -- $5,000 per charge -- but it's unclear for now if he's bailed out yet. We've reached out to his rep ... so far, no official word back.

Kim K's Pal Jonathan Cheban No More The Name's Foodgod, Legally!!!

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Jonathan Cheban -- Kim Kardashian's longtime friend and frequent guest on "Keeping Up with the Kardashians" -- just turned his Instagram handle into his legal name. Chow down!!!!

JC filed legal docs in Florida -- his primary residence, it seems -- asking a judge to sign off on the name change from Jonathan Cheban to .................... wait for it ...

...

...

.... just a little bit more

........... FOODGOD!!!!!!!!!!!!

It's actually just Foodgod, but you get the idea. And yes, there's no capital G in the name, and the words aren't split up either as some media outlets have stylized it in the past. Sorry about that, holy folks and grammar nerds. Unfortunately for you, the Foodgod has spoken.

TMZ got a hold of the official judgment that was entered last week. It ain't all that fancy -- a name change isn't complicated. But, for Jonathan Foodgod, it carries significant weight.

If you don't know, FG's been all about the eats for a while now -- being a bonafide foodie is kinda his thing, and he proudly showcases it all over his social media pages. Literally, it seems like just about every post is related to good grub ... he even sleeps with food.

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And, of course, Jon's been rockin' the @foodgod handle for a minute too. But, if you check out his IG today ... you'll see he's got the registered trademark symbol next to it.

Next stop ... the DMV!!!

'The Walking Dead' Legal War Won't Die ... With 'The Toking Dead'

Published

AMC's "The Walking Dead" is waging legal war with the creators of a comic book series ... and just like the zombies at the heart of both stories, the dispute refuses to die.

According to legal docs obtained by TMZ ... "The Toking Dead" filed a trademark application back in August 2017, but AMC fired back with a cease and desist, claiming copyright infringement ... and the legal standoff is still going down.

For those unfamiliar ... 'Toking Dead' is a comic strip about 2 friends who open a marijuana dispensary, and when disaster strikes and people mutate into zombies, the guys discover their weed holds the key to saving humanity.

It's kinda easy to see why the honchos at AMC don't want their super-popular show mixed up with potheads. Yeah, some people still don't like Mary Jane.

Anyways, 'Toking Dead' responded to the 'Walking Dead' legal threat by pushing forward with its trademark application and eventually publishing the comic in June 2018 in the NY Gazette.

AMC got pissed and quickly filed an opposition to the 'Talking Dead' trademark ... and now the whole thing is once again in legal limbo.

Sure, reputations, brands and money are on the line ... but maybe everyone needs to just chill out and smoke some herb.

Safaree Robber Who Stole Cash and Jewelry Pleads Guilty

Published

One of the guys who allegedly robbed Safaree at gunpoint last year won't roll the dice on a trial -- he's pled guilty to a felony and is cutting a pretty good deal ... considering he was staring down a potential 20 years behind bars.

Carl Harry is the only one of the 3 alleged robbers to cop a deal. He's pled guilty to 1 count of conspiracy to commit theft, and prosecutors have agreed to recommend a sentence of 364 days in the Bergen County Jail, with 5 years probation after that.

Harry's other 6 charges will be dismissed. So, pretty good tradeoff.

The other 2 men charged, Shawn Harewood -- who Safaree knew fairly well -- and Tacuma Ashman, are slated for trial in December. Their 7-count indictments still stand.

As we reported, Safaree was held at gunpoint and robbed of more than $180k in cash and jewelry. Authorities say the men had been tracking Safaree for a while and cornered him in a parking garage where it all went down ... to their dismay, right in front of security cameras.

Harry will be sentenced in January.

'L&HH' Star Rich Dollaz Arrested Again ... In Deadbeat Dad Territory

Published

Rich Dollaz might want to think about changing his handle ... the "Love & Hip Hop New York" star just got busted for not paying child support ... again.

The Hudson County Sheriff's Office tells TMZ ... Rich Dollaz was arrested Thursday at his home in New Jersey and was booked for failure to pay child support. We're told Rich owes more than $125,000 to the mother of his child.

Police tell us Dollaz was processed at the jail and taken to Hudson County Family Court for a hearing. We're told Rich posted $20,000 bail with an agreement to start making monthly child support payments.

Child support issues are nothing new for Rich. As we've reported, the music exec got busted in October 2014 for owing $11k and again in February 2015 for owing nearly $200k.

Fool me once ...