R. Kelly: Jury selection started at trial in New York

The trial of R. Kelly began in New York with the first questioning of potential jurors. The 54-year-old appeared in a blue suit in the Brooklyn courtroom. In the coming days, twelve jurors and six substitute jurors are to be found there before the opening pleadings really start on August 18th.

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Judge Ann Donnelly advised the potential jury that the accused would be considered innocent before a possible conviction and that they should approach the trial with an open mind. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, only people directly involved in the process were allowed into the courtroom, observers and journalists were only able to follow what was happening via video stream.

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According to the indictment, Kelly has to answer for extortion and sexual exploitation of minors from 1994 to 2018. Together with a team of employees, he is said to have forced girls and women to have sex for years. The musician, who has been in prison since his arrest in summer 2019, has repeatedly denied all allegations and accused his critics of a character assassination campaign.

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Further indictments in Chicago and Minnesota

Because of the coronavirus pandemic, the start of the process, which was actually planned for May 2020, had previously been postponed several times. Kelly repeatedly tried to use the pandemic as an opportunity to be released early on bail, but these requests were repeatedly denied.

The process should take several weeks. If convicted, the “I Believe I Can Fly” singer could face decades of imprisonment – and there are similar indictments against him in Chicago and Minnesota.

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The first allegations against Robert Sylvester Kelly, born in Chicago in 1967, were known about 25 years ago. But the music colossus seemed unassailable on its pop throne – with more than 50 million albums sold, several Grammys and other awards, he was one of the most successful musicians of the late 20th century.

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At the latest in the course of the #MeToo movement against sexual harassment, the sensational documentary “Surviving R. Kelly” summarized the allegations in 2019, the singer became more and more lonely. Stars distanced themselves from him, as did radio stations, streaming services and then his music label RCA, which belongs to Sony Music. In the summer of 2019, R. Kelly was arrested in Chicago while he was walking his dog “Believe”.

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