Kelly’s crimes were “calculated, carefully planned and carried out regularly over a period of nearly 25 years,” Judge Ann Donnelly said. She also imposed a $100,000 fine. Kelly himself did not comment on Wednesday – according to his defense attorney due to pending further processes. The 55-year-old took the sentence motionless with his head hanging. “He’s not sitting here without regrets,” defense attorney Jennifer Bonjean previously said.
With the sentence, Judge Donnelly followed the prosecutor’s office, who had asked for more than 25 years in prison for the singer, who has been in prison since his arrest in the summer of 2019. Such a punishment is appropriate, among other things, because of the seriousness of his crimes, and Kelly is still a danger, the prosecutor had justified their claim – and Donnelly agreed.
Defender: “Product of his childhood”
The musician’s defense had demanded a significantly lower sentence and emphasized this once more in court. Kelly was the “product of his childhood” — an extremely difficult childhood marked by sexual abuse, poverty and violence, defense attorney Bonjean said.
In addition, Kelly is a “music genius” and has given society a lot through this and through his willingness to donate. His crimes were serious but did not warrant punishment of this magnitude. The defense had previously announced that it would appeal and has now emphasized this once more.
Serious allegations from decades
Kelly was found guilty by a jury last September. He himself had always denied the allegations, but the witness statements were overwhelming. Prosecutors charged the former superstar with sexual exploitation of minors, kidnapping, forced labour, bribery and sex trafficking between 1994 and 2018. Accordingly, Kelly had built up a whole network of helpers to recruit young girls and women.
Career
Kelly has been one of the pop superstars of the US music scene since the 1990s. He wrote, composed and also worked as a producer. His biggest hit “I Believe I Can Fly” earned him numerous awards, including three Grammys. His last album was released in 2016.
During the trial, several of his abuse victims testified how Kelly required his victims to follow strict rules. For example, they would have needed his permission to eat or go to the toilet. In court, jurors were also shown homemade videos of Kelly engaging in sexual activity that prosecutors said was non-consensual. A witness who was hoping to interview him for a radio station said at the trial that he locked her without food or water for at least two days before assaulting her.
For regarding six weeks, the prosecution and defense had laid out the allegations once morest Kelly from several decades in detail and presented their arguments. Kelly was convicted, among other things, on the basis of a law once morest criminal organizations such as the Mafia. Kelly did not testify at the trial, but followed the proceedings in the courtroom.
Documentary got things rolling
The first allegations once morest the musician, who was born in Chicago in 1967, were made around 25 years ago. In 2008 he was tried for possession of images of serious child sexual abuse – and was acquitted. Finally, in 2019, the sensational documentary “Surviving R. Kelly” was released, which summarized the allegations and gave the victims a chance to speak. As a result, companions, radio stations, streaming services and his music label RCA distanced themselves from him. In 2019, Kelly was also arrested.
The legal workup is not over with the process in New York. There are also charges once morest the musician in the US states of Illinois and Minnesota. A trial in Chicago is scheduled to begin in mid-August. Kelly himself always rejected the allegations. In court, his lawyer portrayed him as a “sex symbol” who simply led a “playboy life”.
