A handcuffed Cuba Gooding Jr. pleaded not guilty to new charges of sexual misconduct on Tuesday in a New York City court.
The actor — who was already facing an allegation of sexual assault after a woman said he grabbed her breast and squeezed it without her consent at a Manhattan bar in June — was arraigned on two additional counts of misdemeanor forcible touching levied against him.
More details are expected when the indictment for this specific incident is unsealed later on Tuesday.
Gooding, 51, denied any wrongdoing. His attorney Mark Heller blasted prosecutors during the hearing and accused the district attorney of purposefully upending his client's life and "cooly delaying this prosecution."
Heller characterized the indictment as "a disillusioned overreaction" to today's "hypersensitive climate" and invoked former vice president Joe Biden's name by seemingly drawing a comparison between his client and Biden, who has been accused of making women uncomfortable with unwarranted touching in the past.
Though Gooding Jr. left court with a smile on his face, the prosecution said they would like to call as many as 12 additional accusers to the stand when the case goes to trial.
Those allegations are as yet uncharged, but prosecutors say they want to provide witnesses to demonstrate evidence of a common theme as to how Gooding "routinely approaches women while at bars or nightclubs with whom he has limited or no prior interaction, and touches them inappropriately.”
Heller told BuzzFeed News via a phone call that he believes the judge will grant the defense's motion to sever the two cases against his client, which will result in a trial come January.
As he left court on Tuesday, Gooding Jr. was met with cheers from fans.
Gooding Jr. is expected to appear in court again on Dec. 13.