Sex-crime charges against R. Kelly dropped in Cook County, and a new conviction for rape, enticement and sexual harassment
Prosecutors in Illinois’ Cook County have dropped state sex-crime charges against singer R. Kelly, who has already been convicted of federal charges set to keep him in prison for decades.
In his New York case, the R&B singer was sentenced to 30 years in prison on sex and racketeering charges.
After two days of deliberations, the jurors found Kelly guilty of production of child pornography and enticement of youths for sex, but not of obstruction of justice or receiving child porn.
The legal team for Kelly is appealing his convictions. Prosecutors sometimes press for long sentences for defendants sentenced at earlier trials in a bid to ensure that, if some convictions are later tossed, they will still do some time behind bars.
“I understand how hard it was for these victims to come forward and tell their stories. I applaud their courage and have the utmost respect for everyone who came forward,” Foxx said in a news release.
“While this may not be the result they were expecting, due to the sentences that Mr. Kelly is facing, we do feel that justice has been served,” Foxx added.
Cook County prosecutors had called for victims to come forward after the airing of “Surviving R. Kelly,” a Lifetime documentary series that chronicled allegations of abuse, predatory behavior and pedophilia against the singer.
Some victims of sexual abuse do not have access to a documentary to bring their abusers to light, so my office will try to find justice for them.
A New York Penitentiary Penalty for R. Kelly’s Sexual Abuse of Children: a Judgment in Chicago Requires More Prison Time
More prison time for R. Kelly was requested by prosecutors in Chicago, which would add to the 30 year sentence he is serving in New York for similar sex crimes.
“A consecutive sentence is eminently reasonable given the egregiousness of Kelly’s conduct,” the filing argued. Kelly’s sexual abuse of kids was prolific and intentional.
The guidelines recommend a maximum of 25 years in the Chicago case, but prosecutors acknowledge it would be more than that. But they argued imposing a long sentence and instructing it be served only after the New York sentence was appropriate.
Bonjean argued that Kelly’s life of traumas, including abuse as a child, and illiteracy, justified a lighter sentence for him.
Kelly was born Robert Sylvester Kelly and rose from poverty in Chicago to Superstardom, becoming famous for his hit “I believe I can fly” as well as other sex-inspired songs.
After the airing of Lifetime’s “Surviving R. Kelly,” the criminal investigations of the singer began to go into high-gear.
It is up to Judge Leinenweber in Chicago to decide if Kelly serves his sentence concurrently with the New York sentence.
Kelly “is not an evil monster but a complex (unquestionably troubled) human-being who faced overwhelming challenges in childhood that shaped his adult life,” she said.
She added that Kelly has already paid a heavy price from his legal troubles, including a financial one. She said he was worth more than a billion dollars, but he is now penniless.