On Monday, a jury in New York convicted R. Kelly of federal sex trafficking and racketeering.
The New York Times reported that Kelly, 54, appeared emotionless as he was found guilty of all nine counts against him. The jurors deliberated for nine hours before handing down a guilty verdict. Cameras were not allowed in the courtroom during Kelly’s month-long trial.
The defense spent less than three days introducing witnesses — a stark comparison to the prosecution, who spent five weeks presenting their case. Forty witnesses testified against Kelly, eleven of whom were his alleged victims.
Federal prosecutors claimed Kelly sexually abused six women and girls, four of whom were underage at the time. They also accused him of bribing an Illinois government employee in 1994 to get a fake ID for a 15-year-old Aaliyah so he could marry her in an illegal union.
Kelly, who was arrested in July 2020, is also facing 13 federal counts in Illinois for various charges, including child pornography and obstruction of justice. On the state level, Kelly is facing 21 sex-related criminal charges in Cook County, Illinois. Last August, authorities in Minnesota charged Kelly with two counts of prostitution with a person younger than 18 in connection with an alleged 2001 incident.
Kelly has denied all allegations of sexual misconduct.
This story is developing…
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[Featured image: R. Kelly/Chicago Police Department]
