R. Kelly, R&B superstar known for her anthem “I believe that I can fly,” was convicted on Monday in a trafficking in persons for the purpose of sexual exploitation after decades of evading criminal responsibility for numerous reports of misconduct with young women and children.
Jury seven men and five women found Kelly guilty racketeering on the second day of discussions.
The charge was based on the argument that the retinue of managers and assistants who helped the singer get to know the girls – and keep them humble and silent – constituted a criminal enterprise.
Several prosecutors gave grim, detailed testimonies during the trial., claiming that Kelly subjected them to perverse and sadistic whims when they were underage.
For years, the public and the media seemed to be more surprised than horrified by the accusations of unacceptable relationship with minorsstarting with Kelly’s illicit marriage to R&B phenomenon Aaliya in 1994 when she was just 15 years old.
His records and concert tickets continued to sell. Other artists continued to record his songs even after he was arrested in 2002 and accused of recording himself sexually.walks on the bus and urinates on a 14-year-old girl.
There was no widespread public condemnation until the widely watched documentary series Surviving R. Kelly helped make his case a testimony. #Me too era, and gave a voice to the alleged victims who wondered if their stories had been ignored earlier because they Black women.