Free Classified Ads Articles R Kelly trial news – As it happened: Prosecutor calls singer ‘predator’ as defence slams female accusers’ ‘mess of lies’R Kelly trial news – As it happened: Prosecutor calls singer ‘predator’ as defence slams female accusers’ ‘mess of lies’
R Kelly trial news – As it happened: Prosecutor calls singer ‘predator’ as defence slams female accusers’ ‘mess of lies’
R&B star R Kelly appeared in court on Wednesday as opening statements were made in a case involving decades of alleged sexual abuse carried out by the “I believe I can fly” singer during the height of his fame.
The 54-year-old, born Robert Sylvester Kelly, has strongly denied sexually exploiting and humiliating underage girls and boys, who prosecutors say were recruited by members of his entourage. The singer and his supporters were both accused of involvement in an “enterprise” that allowed the abuse to occur.
Kelly also faces charges of coercion, racketeering and bribery, as well as breaking US federal law by transporting girls for “immoral” acts. The trial, which could takes weeks, comes two years after his arrest by federal investigators in Chicago on other charges, with the Brooklyn trial delayed by Covid.
A jury made up of seven men and five women will ultimately decide his fate, in what his victims say has been a long wait for justice in the #MeToo era. It follows his acquittal of child pornography charges 13 years ago.
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Key points
- Judge delivers opening remarks, says singer a ‘predator’
- Federal case is years in the making, and the latest in the #MeToo era
- R Kelly to appear in court two years after his arrest for alleged sexual abuse
- Defence says claims are a ‘mess of lies’
Hello and welcome to The Independent’s coverage of the federal trial against R&B singer R Kelly, which begin in court in Brooklyn, New York, on Wednesday
How the #MeToo era caught up with R Kelly
11:11 , Gino SpocchiaR Kelly had been handed a reprieve when he was was acquitted in a 2008 child pornography case in Chicago, that allowed his music career to continue for nearly a decade more.
That was until the arrest of Hollywood figure Harvey Weinstein in 2017, whose arrest on charges of sexual assault birthed the #MeToo era, and the fight for women’s rights in the face of alleged assault by high profile male stars.
A number of women who accuse R Kelly of having sexually abused them in their youth came forward, leading to the R&B singer’s arrest in 2019 on charges of racketeering, coercion and bribery — among other charges.
The women's stories received wide exposure through the documentary “Surviving R Kelly”, that showed how R Kelly’s enabled his alleged exploitation of minors for decades. Its release was closely followed by his arrest.
Who is on the jury?
11:37 , Gino SpocchiaA jury consisting of seven men and five women will ultimately decide whether or not R Kelly is imprisoned on nine counts, which includes accusations of racketeering and bribery.
They were sworn in by judge Ann M Donnelly last Wednesday, after questioning on their awareness of R Kelly and the accusations against him. Judge Donnelly will preside over the trial at Brooklyn’s Federal District Court this afternoon.
Among the 12 jurors are a flight attendant, a mother of two school-aged children, and a fraud investigator who is an active member of her local church, according to The New York Times. Others include a woman who has family members imprisoned, and a hotel employee. All will remain anonymous.
R&B singer reportedly asked for STD charges to be dismissed
12:05 , Gino SpocchiaR Kelly reportedly asked the court ahead of his trial to dismiss charges that he knowingly exposed two people to a sexually transmitted disease (STD), and allegedly failed to tell women about it.
His legal team, according to court documents seen by TMZ, said herpes was a virus and not a bacterial venereal disease, and so he should not be charged for spreading it, and that he was unaware of having herpes at the time.
Federal prosecutors added the charges to the case in March, and accused R Kelly of having unprotected sex with two women without informing them of having herpes, as The New York Times reported. Prosecutors obtained his health records.
One of the women, identified only as “Jane Doe No. 6”, allegedly ended her relationship with the singer in 2018 after learning she had contracted an “infectious venereal disease”. It was not clear if the charges were thrown from the case.
How long will the trial last?
12:29 , Gino SpocchiaThe trial, which will take place at Brooklyn’s Federal District Court, is expected to last a month, and is expected to include lurid details about R Kelly's alleged wrongdoing.
Testimonies from several female accusers and a male accuser are also expected, according to reports. The R&B singer, who released his last album in 2016, denies the claims.
Covid restrictions had delayed the trial until now, with measures in place for the hearing in the courtroom. R Kelly was first arrested by federal investigators in 2019.
Women were allegedly required to call him ‘Daddy’
13:01 , Gino SpocchiaAmong the allegations against R Kelly are that his managers, bodyguards and other employees helped him recruit women and girls — and sometimes boys — for sexual exploitation, and would organise their transport to visit him in New York and elsewhere.
When the women and girls arrived at their lodgings, a member of R Kelly's entourage would set down rules about not speaking to each other, how they should dress and how they needed permission from Kelly before eating or going to the bathroom, prosecutors say. Also, they allegedly were required to call him "Daddy."
Many of the alleged victims who will appear during the trial have never spoken out before, The Associated Press reports.
What are the allegations involving Aaliyah?
13:44 , Gino SpocchiaLawyers for R Kelly last week backtracked on a statement that the R&B singer had “sexual contact” with American singer Aaliyah when she was underage.
Thomas A Farinella, one of the lawyers defending R Kelly in his forthcoming trial, appeared to admit for the first time to having “underage sexual contact” with Aaliyah, who died in a plane crash in 2001. She was aged 22.
Mr Farinella told The Independent in an initial statement that “The defence does concede that Mr Kelly had underage sexual contact with Jane Doe #1”.
His lawyers had dismissed allegations involving the woman identified as “Jane Doe #1”, who had died in 2001, so was “legally unavailable”.
The pair were rumoured to have been married in an illegal ceremony when Aaliyah was only 15, although R Kelly has disputed the allegation.
Gloria Allred arrives at court
14:17 , Gino Spocchia
Gloria Allred, a well known women’s rights attorney, has been seen walking into the court in Brooklyn this morning along with the mother of one of R Kelly’s former girlfriends, according to a CBS journalist.
Ms Allred is known to represent at least one R Kelly accuser, Lizzette Martine, who said in the “Surviving R Kelly” documentary that the R&B singer “told me to perform sexual acts while his friends were in the backseat. It was like he owned me”. He has denied all allegations.
Ms Allred is said to be representing three of the women who accuse R Kelly of sexual abuse, Buzzfeed’s Julia Reinstein reports. Long queues formed outside the court.
Federal prosecutors arrive in court
14:20 , Gino Spocchia
As well as Gloria Allred, federal prosecutors were also seen walking into court this morning. The trial and opening statements are expected to begin at 9.30am ET (14.30 BST).
What other charges is R Kelly facing?
14:53 , Gino Spocchia
The trial that has got underway in Brooklyn this morning is not all of the legal trouble facing R Kelly, born Robert Sylvester Kelly, who is involved in a number of state and federal charges in the US.
Among the allegations made against the 54-year-old are sexual assault, abuse of a minor, making indecent images of minors, racketeering and obstruction of justice. He has denied them all.
Federal investigators arrested R Kelly in Chicago in 2019 on allegations of sexual trafficking, in what was the R&B singer’s third arrest that year for allegations of sexual abuse and related activity.
He was transferred to New York ahead of Wednesday’s trial, which also alleges sexual trafficking and of the singer being at head of an “enterprise” that recruited underage girls and boys. He has denied this.
Has R Kelly experienced a ‘social death’?
15:21 , Gino SpocchiaAccording to analysis of R Kelly’s streaming statistics in the US, the R&B singer — who is on trial for allegedly sexually exploiting underage girls and boys as part of an “enterprise” — his popularity with music listeners has remained largely stable since allegations were aired in 2019’s documentary “Surviving R Kelly”.
The 54-year-old still accounts for more than 780 million streams on music platforms since that show, and on Spotify, roughly 5 million listen to R Kelly a month, The New York Times found.
Dream Hampton, a filmaker and the executive producer of “Surviving R Kelly,” said the singer has experienced what he calls a form of “social death,” in which individuals still listen to an artist, but that wider society and corporations switch-off.
His last album, “12 Nights of Christmas”, was released in 2016.
Laywers for R&B star allowed printer in courtroom
15:37 , Gino SpocchiaThe judge presiding over the trial against R Kelly has reportedly allowed his lawyers to bring a printer into the courtroom at Brooklyn’s Federal District Court.
The request, which was filed a day before the trial began on Wednesday, argued that a printer was necessary due to the “voluminous” amount of material involved in the case against the 54-year-old, which was said to be almost 3,500 pieces of evidence.
It added that “the printer will be kept in silent mode".
Judge dismisses request to throw out charges
15:53 , Gino Spocchia
While the judge has reportedly allowed R Kelly’s lawyers to bring a printer into the courtroom, a request for the charges facing the singer to be thrown out, has been rejected.
Prosecutors allege sexual contact with underage boy in 2006
16:10 , Gino Spocchia
In addition to several underage women and girls who say they were victims of R Kelly and his “enterprise”, an underage boy was also allegedly targeted by the R&B singer in 2006.
Prosecutors revealed in documents ahead of today’s trial that he allegedly met a 17-year-old boy at a McDonald’s around December 2006, and invited him to a party. When the teen showed up with his mother and stepfather, Mr Kelly allegedly asked him to come alone next time.
After that, prosecutors say he invited the boy, identified as “John Doe #1”, to his studio, “under the guise of helping and mentoring John Doe #1 with his musical aspirations”. R Kelly denies doing so.
“Kelly also asked John Doe #1 what he was willing to do to succeed in the music business and clarified that he wanted John Doe #1 to engage in sexual contact with Kelly,” it was alleged. “With that backdrop, Kelly then engaged in sexual contact with John Doe #1, in violation of Illinois law.”
"This case is about a predator," said a judge as the case against R Kelly opened on Wednesday.
Explaining the evidence to be revealed at the trial, which is expected to stretch for weeks, assistant US Attorney Maria Cruz Melendez said the 54-year-old was a “predator”. who used his fame to abuse young women and girls, and even boys.
"What his success and popularity brought him was access, access to girls, boys and young women," she said. "This case is not about a celebrity who likes to party a lot”.
Prosecutors are set to allege that Kelly and his entourage — which has been described in court documents as an “enterprise” — organised for his victims to travel across state lines to meet him, which was in violation of federal law.
Some also allegedly were made to call Kelly “Daddy”, and others were filmed, in what she said was a racketeering enterprise of individuals who were loyal to him, and eager to "fulfil each and everyone one of the defendant's wishes and demands."
Lawyers for Kelly were set to deliver their opening remarks to the courtroom after Ms Cruz. Additional reporting by The Associated Press.
What is being alleged against R Kelly?
17:04 , Gino SpocchiaThe singer is facing a nine-count indictment in court in Brooklyn, with prosecutors describing his alleged abuse of five women, identified in court documents as “Jane Does”, and three of whom were underage at the time.
At least one of the accusers, according to Reuters, told prosecutors that R Kelly engaged in unprotected sex with her without revealing he had herpes. He has denied the claim, and all others made against him.
Prosecutors will also try to show that Kelly bribed an Illinois official in 1994 to obtain fake identification for the singer Aaliyah, who died in a place crash in 2001, because she was aged 15 at the time.
A marriage license showed Aaliyah's age as 18, prosecutors said. Aaliyah, She has been identified as “Jane Doe #1” in court documents.
A number of women, some of whom have not spoken before in public, are set to testify after the opening statements are finished by both sides on Wednesday.
Kelly also faces charges of racketeering, bribery and extortion, as well as violations of the Mann Act, which prohibits the transport of women and underage girls across state lines for “immoral” acts.
What will the defence say?
17:20 , Gino SpocchiaLawyers for R Kelly, who are set to deliver their opening remarks in today’s trial, have characterised his accusers in legal documents as "disgruntled groupies" who wanted the attention of the R&B singer, and only revealed their allegations years later.
Similar arguments are expected after prosecutors described the 54-year-old as a “predator” who “manipulated” and “controlled” his victims, and which he denies.
Defence says accusers were ‘family’
17:35 , Gino SpocchiaAccording to reports from inside the courtroom where R Kelly is on trial, lawyers for the R&B star have said he and his accusers — identified in court as “Jane Does” — "all became like a family" and "when the relationships went sour...these individuals became angry, resentful and even spiteful."
The lawyer, Nicole Blank Becker, went on to say the allegations against Kelly were a “mess of lies” and that there were a number of “untruths”.
He denies claims that he sexually abused and exploited women, girls, and at least one boy during the height of his fame, as well as charges of bribery, racketeering and coercion.
Inside the courtroom in Brooklyn
17:45 , Gino Spocchia
Cameras and broadcasting is banned inside the federal courtroom where R Kelly is on trial.
Fortunately, sketches of the scene as assistant US Attorney Maria Cruz Melendez set out the prosecution’s opening arguments show what is happening inside the room.
‘He didn’t recruit them. They were fans’, says defence
17:50 , Gino SpocchiaNicole Blank Becker, a lawyer for R Kelly, explained in court that the allegations against her client were a “mess of lies”, as the defence set out their opening arguments in the case.
"He didn't recruit them. They were fans,” Ms Becker alleged in court. “They came to Mr Kelly.”
The lawyer added that some of his accusers — who prosecutors allege were “manipulated” and “controlled” and engaged in sexual acts with the singer — were women who enjoyed the "notoriety of being able to tell their friends that they were with a superstar."
"Don't assume everybody's telling the truth," said Ms Becker to the 12 person jury. "They knew exactly what they were getting into. It was no secret Mr Kelly had multiple girlfriends. He was quite transparent."
That argument followed the federal prosecution and assistant US Attorney Maria Cruz Melendez calling the star a “predator” who was at the head of an “enterprise” that allegedly exploited his victims, who included women and children.
Additional reporting by The Associated Press.
Contrasting opening arguments to make way for testimonies
18:38 , Gino SpocchiaThe openings remarks in the case against R Kelly came more than a decade after he was acquitted in a 2008 child pornography case in Chicago, and two years after the Lifetime documentary "Surviving R. Kelly”, in which his alleged victims aired their stories in public for the first time.
The TV series, which explored how R Kelly’s entourage protected the R&B star and silenced his victims for decades, was followed by many alleged victims coming forward, and the arguments put forward by federal prosecutors on Wednesday.
Women —referred to in court as "Jane Does" — are expected to offer testimony in the coming days and weeks about how Kelly's managers, bodyguards and other employees helped him recruit women and girls — and sometimes boys — for sexual exploitation.
His lawyers denied claims that he was a “predator” who controlled his victims, and that the allegations were a “mess of lies” from people who wanted to be seen with the star, who last released an album in 2016.
Reference: Independent: Gino Spocchia
