The abuse trial against the famous R&B musician R. Kelly began in New York with serious accusations by the prosecution.
the essentials in brief
- Singer is said to have systematically recruited young girls for sex.
Prosecutor Maria Cruz Melendez accused the singer of the world hit “I Believe I Can Fly” on Wednesday of having used his fame over decades to “exploit young girls, boys and women for sexual satisfaction”. The defense, however, spoke of consensual sex.
The 54-year-old used “every trick in the predator’s manual” to approach minors, make promises to them and their families and then sexually abuse his victims, Prosecutor Melendez said in federal court in Brooklyn, New York. He relied on a “network” of helpers who recruited girls to have sex with him and covered up his crimes.
Kelly had access to “young fans” and collected his victims like “objects”. The singer is said to have tortured victims who opposed his wishes with “cruel and humiliating punishments” and, among other things, beat them. He also filmed and photographed his victims having sex and then threatened publication.
According to the indictment, Kelly systematically “recruited” young girls to have sex with the former superstar. A venereal disease Kelly had been withheld from them. When the star was on tour, the victims are said to have been locked in hotel rooms. The aim was to isolate the girls and young women and make them financially dependent.
The first witness confirmed the prosecution’s allegations. Jerhonda, now 28, says she was 16 when she got together with Kelly. He filmed her having sex and told her he would teach her how to “satisfy” him.
Kelly watched the prosecutor’s statements in silence, sometimes with bowed head. The Grammy winner is accused of, among other things, sexual exploitation of minors, kidnapping, forced labor and bribery in the years 1994 to 2018. If convicted, he faces a long prison sentence.
The charges focus on six women, including singer Aaliyah, who died in a plane crash in 2001 at the age of 22. The indictment alleges Kelly paid an officer in 1994 to raise the age of the then 15-year-old so he could marry her – the marriage was later annulled.
Kelly’s defense attorney Nicole Blank Becker flatly denied the allegations. The victims are “groupies” who have agreed to have sex with the star, she said. After the relationship ended, they were then full of hatred. She stressed that some relationships were “nice” and lasted a long time.
The first allegations were raised against the singer and composer around 25 years ago. However, one process ended in acquittal, other proceedings were settled out of court.
The documentary series “Surviving R. Kelly” published in 2019 then led to new investigations, to Kelly’s arrest – and now to the trial in New York. “After two decades, people are finally starting to talk, and I am humbly grateful for that,” said Jonjelyn Savage, whose daughter has made abuse allegations against Kelly, in front of the courthouse on Wednesday.
The singer whose real name is Robert Sylvester Kelly denies all allegations and has pleaded not guilty. Due to the corona pandemic, the process began more than a year late and should take around a month. A jury made up of twelve jury members, seven men and five women, decides on Kelly’s fate. Kelly is also threatened with trial in Chicago.
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