Singer faces sex abuse charges
R Kelly, the R&B star who has been trailed for decades by allegations that he violated underage girls and women and held some as virtual slaves, has been charged with aggravated sexual abuse involving four victims, including at least three between the ages of 13 and 17.
In a brief appearance before reporters yesterday, Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx announced the 10 counts against the 52-year-old Grammy Award winner, whose real name is Robert Kelly. She said the abuse dated back as far as 1998 and spanned more than a decade. She did not comment on the charges or take questions.
Kelly was driven to a Chicago police station in a van with heavily tinted rear windows. He did not respond to questions from gathered reporters as he walked inside the building.
Police spokesman Anthony Guglielmi tweeted a short time later that Kelly was under arrest. He was expected to be held overnight before an appearance in bond court.
Kelly’s attorney, Steve Greenberg, told reporters that one of the charges the singer faced appeared to be tied to a decade-old child pornography case. ‘‘Double jeopardy should bar that case,’’ Greenberg said. ‘‘He won that case.’’
Kelly, who was acquitted of child pornography charges in 2008, has consistently denied any sexual misconduct.
The arrest sets the stage for another #MeToo-era celebrity trial. Bill Cosby went to prison last year, and former Hollywood studio boss Harvey Weinstein is awaiting trial.
Best known for hits such as I Believe I Can Fly, Kelly was charged a week after Michael Avenatti, the attorney whose clients have included porn star Stormy Daniels, said he had given prosecutors new video evidence of the singer with an underage girl.
At a news conference earlier yesterday in Chicago, Avenatti said a 14-year-old girl seen in the video was among four victims mentioned in the indictment. He said the footage showed two separate scenes on two separate days at Kelly’s residence in the late 1990s. During the video, both the victim and Kelly referred to her age 10 times.
Avenatti said he believed that more than 10 other people associated with Kelly should be charged as "enablers" for helping with the assaults, transporting minors and covering up evidence. –AP