Barmaid 'to drop Gooding charges' (From Your Local Guardian)

Barmaid 'to drop Gooding charges'

7:14am Thursday 2nd August 2012 in Entertainment News © Press Association 2013

A barmaid who claimed Oscar-winning actor Cuba Gooding Jr pushed her does not plan to pursue criminal charges against him, her bosses at a New Orleans restaurant said.

Police issued an arrest warrant on Tuesday on a misdemeanour charge of municipal battery for 44-year-old Gooding Jr.

Police say the barmaid at the century-old Old Absinthe House told them Gooding Jr became upset after customers started asking him to pose for photos with them at about 3am.

She told investigators that Gooding Jr pushed her after she asked him to calm down and again after she told him he should leave and that police had been called.

Gooding Jr, who left the bar before police arrived, met New Orleans police on Wednesday and was issued with a court summons.

But in a statement, the French Quarter restaurant said its employee would not press the case.

"It is our understanding the employee involved in the alleged altercation has chosen to drop all charges against Mr Cuba Gooding Jr," said Old Absinthe House spokeswoman Carolyn Pierce. "While we continue to investigate this matter internally, we are hopeful that this will put an end to the matter."

Ryan Berni, a city spokesman, said: "The witness indeed has indicated that she is likely to drop the charges. If she does, and after prosecutors review the evidence, a determination will be made as to whether to dismiss the charges."

Mr Berni said Gooding Jr's court hearing was set for Friday. It was not immediately known whether he was required to appear.

Gooding Jr has been in New Orleans filming The Butler, a movie about a White House butler who serves eight American presidents. The film has a star-studded cast that includes Nicole Kidman, Liam Neeson, John Cusack, Jane Fonda, Robin Williams, Alex Pettyfer and Minka Kelly.