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R. Kelly Charged With 10 Counts of Sexual Abuse in Chicago R. Kelly Charged With 10 Counts of Sexual Abuse in Chicago
(32 minutes later)
For more than two decades, the R&B singer R. Kelly has been trailed by allegations of sexual misconduct. He was married to a young singer who turned out to be 15 years old. There were claims that he controlled women in a cultlike atmosphere. He was linked to an infamous sex tape. None of it meaningfully stood in his way.For more than two decades, the R&B singer R. Kelly has been trailed by allegations of sexual misconduct. He was married to a young singer who turned out to be 15 years old. There were claims that he controlled women in a cultlike atmosphere. He was linked to an infamous sex tape. None of it meaningfully stood in his way.
Then, on Friday in Chicago, after weeks of renewed scrutiny, Mr. Kelly was indicted.Then, on Friday in Chicago, after weeks of renewed scrutiny, Mr. Kelly was indicted.
The authorities accused him of aggravated criminal sexual abuse involving four victims, three of whom were underage, according to the Cook County state’s attorney Kim Foxx. Aggravated criminal sexual abuse can carry a sentence of three to seven years in prison for each count. Mr. Kelly, whose real name is Robert Kelly, faces 10 of them. The authorities accused him of aggravated criminal sexual abuse involving four victims, three of whom were underage, according to the Cook County state’s attorney, Kim Foxx. Aggravated criminal sexual abuse can carry a sentence of three to seven years in prison for each count. Mr. Kelly, whose real name is Robert Kelly, faces 10 of them.
“This was 30 years in the making,” said Jim DeRogatis, the music journalist who was among the first to document allegations against Mr. Kelly. The singer, 52, was tried on 14 counts of child pornography and ultimately acquitted in 2008.“This was 30 years in the making,” said Jim DeRogatis, the music journalist who was among the first to document allegations against Mr. Kelly. The singer, 52, was tried on 14 counts of child pornography and ultimately acquitted in 2008.
But in the intervening years, the world around him has changed. The #MeToo movement has washed across the country. As the fallout from abuse by Catholic priests unspooled, statutes of limitations on the sexual acts involving children have been raised or, in states like Illinois, abolished altogether. Women who were afraid to come forward or who were not believed are increasingly being heard.But in the intervening years, the world around him has changed. The #MeToo movement has washed across the country. As the fallout from abuse by Catholic priests unspooled, statutes of limitations on the sexual acts involving children have been raised or, in states like Illinois, abolished altogether. Women who were afraid to come forward or who were not believed are increasingly being heard.
Ms. Foxx said the events related to Mr. Kelly’s charges spanned from 1998 to 2010. Three of the victims were between the ages of 13 and 16 at the time of the incidents. Ms. Foxx said the events related to Mr. Kelly’s charges spanned from 1998 to 2010. Three of the victims were between the ages of 13 and 16 at the time of the events.
[Meet the Chicago prosecutor asking R. Kelly’s accusers to come forward.][Meet the Chicago prosecutor asking R. Kelly’s accusers to come forward.]
Mr. Kelly is accused of ejaculating on one victim, identified by the initials L.C., in a forcible encounter, an attempted criminal sexual assault. Court documents said she reported the offense to law enforcement officials within two years of its occurrence.Mr. Kelly is accused of ejaculating on one victim, identified by the initials L.C., in a forcible encounter, an attempted criminal sexual assault. Court documents said she reported the offense to law enforcement officials within two years of its occurrence.
Prosecutors said that Mr. Kelly had oral sex and intercourse with the other three victims, all of whom were less than 17 years old, too young to legally consent.Prosecutors said that Mr. Kelly had oral sex and intercourse with the other three victims, all of whom were less than 17 years old, too young to legally consent.
Mr. Kelly, who turned himself in to the police in Chicago on Friday night, is due in court on Saturday for a bail hearing.Mr. Kelly, who turned himself in to the police in Chicago on Friday night, is due in court on Saturday for a bail hearing.
After Mr. Kelly surrendered, his lawyer, Steven Greenberg, spoke to reporters for several minutes, fiercely maintaining Mr. Kelly’s innocence and blasting the state’s attorney for what he characterized as succumbing to public pressure by bringing charges against him. At one point he claimed that all of the women accusing Mr. Kelly are lying.After Mr. Kelly surrendered, his lawyer, Steven Greenberg, spoke to reporters for several minutes, fiercely maintaining Mr. Kelly’s innocence and blasting the state’s attorney for what he characterized as succumbing to public pressure by bringing charges against him. At one point he claimed that all of the women accusing Mr. Kelly are lying.
“Mr. Kelly is strong, he’s got a lot of support and he’s going to be vindicated on all of these charges,” he said. “One by one, if it has to be.”“Mr. Kelly is strong, he’s got a lot of support and he’s going to be vindicated on all of these charges,” he said. “One by one, if it has to be.”
After so many years of accusations, Mr. Kelly became the focus of scrutiny after the documentary “Surviving R. Kelly” was broadcast on Lifetime in January. The six-part series included testimony from several women who accused the singer of abuse dating back to the 1990s.After so many years of accusations, Mr. Kelly became the focus of scrutiny after the documentary “Surviving R. Kelly” was broadcast on Lifetime in January. The six-part series included testimony from several women who accused the singer of abuse dating back to the 1990s.
The celebrity lawyer Michael Avenatti said last week that he had obtained a video showing Mr. Kelly having sex with a 14-year-old girl, and had given it to the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office in Chicago. He has said that Mr. Kelly and the girl refer to her age multiple times in the video, which is more than 40 minutes long. On Friday, Mr. Avenatti said that the video depicted oral, vaginal and anal sex, and that Mr. Kelly urinates on the girl. At one point in the footage, Mr. Avenatti said, Mr. Kelly has the girl watch a pornographic video on a screen, which depicts Mr. Kelly with another young woman.The celebrity lawyer Michael Avenatti said last week that he had obtained a video showing Mr. Kelly having sex with a 14-year-old girl, and had given it to the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office in Chicago. He has said that Mr. Kelly and the girl refer to her age multiple times in the video, which is more than 40 minutes long. On Friday, Mr. Avenatti said that the video depicted oral, vaginal and anal sex, and that Mr. Kelly urinates on the girl. At one point in the footage, Mr. Avenatti said, Mr. Kelly has the girl watch a pornographic video on a screen, which depicts Mr. Kelly with another young woman.
[What we know about R. Kelly’s two-decade trail of sexual abuse accusations.][What we know about R. Kelly’s two-decade trail of sexual abuse accusations.]
On Thursday, two additional women came forward at a news conference in New York organized by their lawyer, Gloria Allred, to accuse Mr. Kelly of sexual abuse and misconduct when they were minors. The women, Latresa Scaff, 40, and Rochelle Washington, 39, said they met the singer after a concert in the mid-1990s when they were 16 and 15; they said he asked for a threesome and had sex with Ms. Scaff.On Thursday, two additional women came forward at a news conference in New York organized by their lawyer, Gloria Allred, to accuse Mr. Kelly of sexual abuse and misconduct when they were minors. The women, Latresa Scaff, 40, and Rochelle Washington, 39, said they met the singer after a concert in the mid-1990s when they were 16 and 15; they said he asked for a threesome and had sex with Ms. Scaff.
“This may not be the only prosecution of Mr. Kelly, because we are aware of other open investigations in other jurisdictions,” Ms. Allred said on Friday.“This may not be the only prosecution of Mr. Kelly, because we are aware of other open investigations in other jurisdictions,” Ms. Allred said on Friday.
Ms. Allred said that two of her clients had been interviewed by federal investigators in Brooklyn. Federal investigators in Manhattan were also looking at Mr. Kelly’s conduct, although the circumstances were not immediately clear.Ms. Allred said that two of her clients had been interviewed by federal investigators in Brooklyn. Federal investigators in Manhattan were also looking at Mr. Kelly’s conduct, although the circumstances were not immediately clear.
“We’re glad to see the allegations against R. Kelly are being taken seriously and hope that these charges empower victims to come forward,” RAINN, the Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network, said in a statement. “The survivors who shared their stories showed admirable courage and strength.” “We’re glad to see the allegations against R. Kelly are being taken seriously and hope that these charges empower victims to come forward,” Rainn, the Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network, said in a statement. “The survivors who shared their stories showed admirable courage and strength.”
Despite being acquitted in 2008, allegations of sexual misconduct have followed Mr. Kelly for much of his career. More than 20 years ago, Vibe magazine questioned a marriage certificate that said the singer Aaliyah was 18 when she and Mr. Kelly were wed. She was, in fact, 15 at the time and the marriage was annulled. Mr. Greenberg has said Mr. Kelly did not know she was underage at the time. Aaliyah died in a plane crash in 2001. Mr. Kelly was acquitted in 2008, but allegations of sexual misconduct have followed him for much of his career. More than 20 years ago, Vibe magazine questioned a marriage certificate that said the singer Aaliyah was 18 when she and Mr. Kelly were wed. She was, in fact, 15 at the time and the marriage was annulled. Mr. Greenberg has said Mr. Kelly did not know she was underage at the time. Aaliyah died in a plane crash in 2001.
[The lonely, and risky pursuit of R. Kelly: Meet the journalists who followed the case.][The lonely, and risky pursuit of R. Kelly: Meet the journalists who followed the case.]
Now a legacy act selling concert tickets largely on the strength of his catalog, Mr. Kelly was a powerful hitmaker when he was arrested on child pornography charges in 2002 over a tape prosecutors said showed him having sex with and urinating on an underage girl. He continued to release hits as his lawyers filed motion after motion, delaying the trial for six years. The girl from the video never testified, and though 14 witnesses identified her, Mr. Kelly’s lawyers argued successfully that her identity could not be proven. He was acquitted on all 14 counts he faced.Now a legacy act selling concert tickets largely on the strength of his catalog, Mr. Kelly was a powerful hitmaker when he was arrested on child pornography charges in 2002 over a tape prosecutors said showed him having sex with and urinating on an underage girl. He continued to release hits as his lawyers filed motion after motion, delaying the trial for six years. The girl from the video never testified, and though 14 witnesses identified her, Mr. Kelly’s lawyers argued successfully that her identity could not be proven. He was acquitted on all 14 counts he faced.
In 2017, the allegations picked up again when Mr. DeRogatis, the music journalist, wrote articles for BuzzFeed News that described Mr. Kelly keeping women in a “cult,” in which he separated them from their families and exerted tremendous control over their lives.In 2017, the allegations picked up again when Mr. DeRogatis, the music journalist, wrote articles for BuzzFeed News that described Mr. Kelly keeping women in a “cult,” in which he separated them from their families and exerted tremendous control over their lives.
Last year, the social media campaign #MuteRKelly gained momentum, seeking to put pressure on the companies involved with Mr. Kelly’s career, including the streaming services Spotify and Apple Music; Ticketmaster, which sells tickets to his concerts; and RCA Records, a division of Sony Music that released his last four albums.Last year, the social media campaign #MuteRKelly gained momentum, seeking to put pressure on the companies involved with Mr. Kelly’s career, including the streaming services Spotify and Apple Music; Ticketmaster, which sells tickets to his concerts; and RCA Records, a division of Sony Music that released his last four albums.
While Mr. Kelly seemed impervious to the accusations, things appeared to take a turn in January, after “Surviving R. Kelly” caused a stir. Law enforcement authorities in Illinois and Georgia, where he has lived, began looking into his conduct. And after tremendous public pressure from activists, Mr. Kelly was dropped by RCA, just two weeks after the program aired.While Mr. Kelly seemed impervious to the accusations, things appeared to take a turn in January, after “Surviving R. Kelly” caused a stir. Law enforcement authorities in Illinois and Georgia, where he has lived, began looking into his conduct. And after tremendous public pressure from activists, Mr. Kelly was dropped by RCA, just two weeks after the program aired.
The fact that the alleged victim did not participate in Mr. Kelly’s 2008 trial was a significant problem for the prosecution, jurors said. “All of us felt the grayness of the case,” one juror told reporters at the time.The fact that the alleged victim did not participate in Mr. Kelly’s 2008 trial was a significant problem for the prosecution, jurors said. “All of us felt the grayness of the case,” one juror told reporters at the time.
On Friday, Ms. Foxx read off the charges against Mr. Kelly at a news conference and left without taking questions.On Friday, Ms. Foxx read off the charges against Mr. Kelly at a news conference and left without taking questions.
Mr. DeRogatis was in the room. “The first girl, who I met,” he said, “it was 1991. She was 15. Thirty years the system has failed. I’d like to be optimistic today. I don’t know if I am.”Mr. DeRogatis was in the room. “The first girl, who I met,” he said, “it was 1991. She was 15. Thirty years the system has failed. I’d like to be optimistic today. I don’t know if I am.”