R. Kelly was back in a New York City courtroom on Friday (August 2) to enter a plea in his racketeering and sex trafficking case. Fans started lining up outside of the courthouse at 10 a.m. local time to show their unwavering support for the 52-year-old.
According to TMZ, the embattled R&B singer pleaded not guilty to the five-count indictment and was promptly denied bail. The indictment comes out of the Eastern District of New York and includes several violations of the Mann Act (which prohibits the transportation of anyone across state lines for illicit sexual purposes) and allegations of forced labor as well as kidnapping and racketeering.
The New York indictment is separate from the 13-count indictment in Illinois federal court.
Two of Kelly’s supposed girlfriends, Azriel Clary and Joycelyn Savage, were also on-hand to offer moral support.
Authorities say the purpose of the elaborate scheme was to “promote R. Kelly’s music and the R. Kelly brand and to recruit women and girls to engage in illegal sexual activity with Kelly.”
They allege “Kelly and his crew traveled throughout the United States and abroad to recruit these women and girls” and made “threats of force and physically restrained the women” to obtain their labor and services.
Kelly was arrested on July 11 in his hometown of Chicago. He faces decades behind bars if convicted.
[This article has been updated. The following was published on July 16, 2019.]
Federal prosecutors deemed R. Kelly “an extreme danger to the community, especially to minor girls” during a hearing in U.S. District Court in Chicago on Tuesday (July 16). Consequently, the embattled R&B star was denied bond, according to the Chicago Sun-Times.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Angel Krull told Judge Harry Leinenweber, “This risk of obstruction is real. This risk is ongoing. This risk is heightened by the defendant’s fame and power.”
He added Kelly also “has a unique ability to influence and intimidate witnesses and victims, and that continues to this day.”
Kelly’s attorney, Steve Greenberg, said Kelly is not a flight risk and referenced one of Kelly’s biggest hits during his argument.
“Unlike his most famous song — ‘I Believe I Can Fly’ — Mr. Kelly doesn’t like to fly,” Greenberg said. “How could he flee? He has no money. There’s no evidence that he’s a risk to minors at all at this point.”
Kelly was arrested (again) on Thursday (July 11) in his hometown of Chicago.
Federal prosecutors issued two indictments the following day that could lock him up for the rest of his life. In Brooklyn and Chicago, Kelly faces a total of 18 counts for alleged crimes against 10 victims. Kelly faces a maximum prison sentence of 195 years in Chicago alone. He faces decades more in New York and was already facing state charges that could imprison him for up to 30 years.
Kelly’s arraignment and detention hearing started about 1 p.m. local time in Leinenweber’s 19th floor courtroom at the Dirksen Federal Courthouse, where camera crews had been camped out since 9 a.m. Tuesday morning.
Greenberg insists he should be let out on bond.
“The man’s entitled to be held in a humane situation.” Greenberg said. “Mr. Kelly is a difficult person to have [at the MCC] because of other prisoners … because of his notoriety.”
Krull disagreed. “The defendant can entice girls to his own doorstep, he doesn’t have to leave his home to do that,” Krull told the judge.
Like he did during his infamous interview with CBS This Morning, Kelly continues to deny all allegations. Greenberg says Kelly looks forward “to his day in court, to the truth coming out and to his vindication from what has been an unprecedented assault by others for their own personal gain.”
Lifetime’s docu-series, Surviving R. Kelly, was released last year and appears to have acted as a catalyst to Kelly’s potential demise.
It’s sad how quickly black people turn on their own when a TV tells them to do so. Robert is good man, all the great music he gave us? This is how you repay his contribution to all pur lives? Go arrest Bill Clinton go arrest Joe Biden they’ve been predators for how many decades now? Yall wrong for what you’re doing to Robert.
If he is innocent, he will get off, right? Otherwise, how do you know he is a “good” man? Because you like his music….smh.
Menziah
found his brain washed wifey
Every famous black man that gets arrested is not Nelson Mandela! Yes, the government conspires to put a lot of innocent black men in jail on fallacious charges! But R. Kelly is not one of those men!
We all know the man can sing! But what happened to standards? What happened to bare minimums? You a fan of R. Kelly? You wanna help R. Kelly? Then get some counseling for R. Kelly! Introduce him to some older women! Hide his camcorder! But don’t pretend like the man is a hero!!!!
This isn’t the time to quote Boondocks.
The quote is still relevant to people like Free Robert.
Stick a fork in him… he’s done
Clout chasing women, what do you teach your sons? I’m curious to know this
r kelly didnt do anything wrong!! so many people are trying to take down a successful black man!!!
That’s a wrap for kelz…I still want to see all the evidence and hear the details
You sicko
Years Of playing The Devil’s Game,
Unlimited Fun, Now The Devil’s changing the rules: Heaven or Hell.
Years of playing the Devil’s Game, Unlimited Fun, Now The Devil’s changing the rules: Heaven or Hell.
Keep speaking the truth!!
Meanwhile men like Epstein run around free
as if R Kelly didn’t have an epic run…
Now that’s funny lmao
Y’all are fucking idiots. First off, Epstein is currently indicted on federal crimes, that face a Minimum of 10 years. Second, Epstein works as an FBI informant. You sick fucks would love to see R Kelley walk free. Someone should trace your IP Adress and check your computer, because your obviously suspect if R Kelley going down gets you mad. FYI, R Kelley walked off completely free a decade ago, whole Epstein did 13 months in prison. Perhaps you should educate yourself before saying soem stupid shit. I swear to God, people like you are fucking brain dead.
what does this say for the rest of them like r. Kelly?
Hahahahahha goodbye you fucking predator piece of shit
#freerkelly
innocent till proven guilty and they release all new evidence other than that i dont know nothing & was never there & imma still doggy & facial to his hits & let pros shine my pole to his ballads cuz the mans catalogue is flawless ef what a hater say if guilty hes helped more of humanity than harmed & its on him when his day comes
all this stuff is fake. R Kelly is an actor, everybody is in on it. it’s enitrely possible he really had relations with minors, but he agreed that it’s going to be released to the public as a part of a humiliation ritual that is going on right now. they’ll probably release some photos of him in jail clothes but this dude wont see a day in jail, it’s all agenda.
you just wish they would shut the fuck up.
100%
Please tell me who your weed connect is…
Free R Kelly. He was found innocent once, this is an illegal double jeopardy.
Lol, you have no idea what you’re talking about. These are brand new charges. But what I want to know is is there a legal version of double jeopardy.
He was acquitted once due to technicalities that’s not the same we as being found innocent the evidence shows he is almost definitely a child predator stfu
Damn y’all need to lay off the crack… SMH
I’m leaning toward insufficient evidence.
what if really rich and powerful people want him locked up? dead? conspiracy? Robert, I know what that is like. this has happened to other men, when they get accused of something sexual which is illegal and the trial by media begins. if they come out the other side and are not found guilty, his reputation is so fucked. the sentencing is fucking ridiculous why not something called restorative justice. everyone meets together in a court of law and talks it over. it isn’t fair if r. Kelly gets done without others too, and there are others since the mehtoo movement got started and the Epstein shit just recently came to the surface, and in maybe in some cases something far, far more serious – as in murder. he is a player, he is a bit of a womaniser, that is partly what this genre music is about. you might have to sell your crib at trump tower homey.
Lmaoooo
R Kelly is a very sick man he really is and he’s been sick for a long time
But my thing is he didn’t do all this shit by his self
His inner circle knew he was sick and they stood by and used his sickness and enabled him instead getting him help.I know it’s very hard to believe but let’s just be real my brother is sick.let’s just pray he gets some help.
Why hasn’t anyone else been arrested? He didn’t do all of this by himself
He has been at this for years. He used his money and power to do these things . Why didn’t he use his money to get help ? Or to learn how to read or write ? Becuz he loves abuse. And for the people who believe in him send ur daughters or younger sisters over to visit him. And help him !!!!
He sure pissed off the judge.