People News Roundup: Cuba Gooding Jr. accused of 2013 rape in lawsuit filed by unnamed woman; Independent counsel faults Chicago prosecutor's dismissal of Jussie Smollett case and more

Actor Cuba Gooding Jr. accused of 2013 rape in lawsuit filed by unnamed woman Oscar-winning actor Cuba Gooding Jr. has been accused of raping a woman twice in a New York City hotel room in 2013, according to a civil lawsuit filed on Tuesday.

Following is a summary of current people news briefs.

Actor Cuba Gooding Jr. accused of 2013 rape in lawsuit filed by unnamed woman

Oscar-winning actor Cuba Gooding Jr. has been accused of raping a woman twice in a New York City hotel room in 2013, according to a civil lawsuit filed on Tuesday. The woman, identified in the lawsuit only as "Jane Doe," said she met Gooding in a Manhattan bar in August 2013 and was invited to join him for drinks at a nearby hotel.

Second man pleads not guilty in 'brazen' killing of Jam Master Jay

A second man pleaded not guilty on Tuesday to charges of murdering Run-DMC rapper Jam Master Jay in New York in 2002 in what prosecutors said was a brazen act of violence over a disputed drug deal. Ronald Washington, 56, who is currently serving a prison sentence for robbery, was charged along with Karl Jordan Jr. on Monday for the shooting death of the musician, whose real name was Jason Mizell, in his New York recording studio.

NBCUniversal Vice Chairman Ron Meyer departs company after disclosing affair

NBCUniversal Vice Chairman Ron Meyer left the Comcast Corp -owned company on Tuesday, after disclosing that he had made a settlement with a woman with whom he had a consensual affair years ago. In a statement, Meyer said he had been the target of an extortion effort from people who learned of the settlement, which he said he had made under threat.

Independent counsel faults Chicago prosecutor's dismissal of Jussie Smollett case

A court-appointed independent counsel on Monday found Chicago prosecutors abused their discretion and may have violated legal ethics by dropping charges that former "Empire" actor Jussie Smollett falsely reported he was attacked. The allegations are the latest twist in a dizzying swirl of claims and counter-claims in the case that began in January 2019 when Smollett, who is black and openly gay, told police he was accosted on a darkened street in a hate crime by two masked strangers.