CelebritiesRobert Sylvester Kelly, better known as R&B singer R. Kelly (55), is sentenced to 30 years in prison. That was ruled by the federal court of Brooklyn on Wednesday. The Grammy winner faces charges of sexual misconduct towards minors. “The people must be protected from this behavior.”
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The file of the ‘I believe I can fly’ singer has 31 pages. That is now concluded with a prison sentence of 30 years. The judge defended her decision with “the people should be protected from this behavior.” She went on to address him directly: “These crimes were calculated, carefully planned and executed for nearly 25 years. You taught your victims that love is slavery and violence.” R. Kelly herself declined to comment.
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One of the victims addressed R. Kelly directly in court. She called him a Pied Piper who lured children with his money and fame. “But now we are reclaiming our names,” it sounded. Another woman demonstrated the psychological impact of the abuse during her statement. “I am now 45 years old, and I am a mother who struggles with my mental health.” The message was heard: “I hope you go to jail for the rest of your life.”
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(Read more below the photo.)
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Fame and stardom as a shield
Federal prosecutors called for a sentence of more than 25 years. In their sentencing letter, they wrote that R. Kelly showed no remorse and displayed “feeling disrespect” for decades at the effect of the abuse on his (underage) victims. “He committed these crimes with his fame and stardom as a shield, which prevented a close investigation or condemnation of his actions.”
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On the other hand, R. Kelly’s lawyers requested a prison sentence of less than ten years. According to them, he does not pose any risk to society at the moment. “His traumatic childhood warrants a lenient sentence,” it said. The singer is said to have had a serious history of sexual abuse, including by his own relatives.
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(Read more below the photo.)
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Three decades of accusations
As far back as the 90s, R. Kelly had a notorious reputation. The ball started rolling when he tied the knot in 1994 with Aaliyah, a singer of barely 15 years old. Unfortunately, she died in a plane crash in 2001. Shortly afterwards, various parties filed complaints against the singer for child abuse and child pornography. As the #MeToo movement took off in 2019, a new wave of accusations surfaced. Several women accused him of abuse and sex with minors. There is even said to have been a “female cult” in his homes, where they were held and brainwashed. He was also guilty of ‘sex trafficking’, a term for the sexual exploitation of people. He was found guilty for this in September 2021.
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Why did he get away with it all these years? All questions about the R. Kelly trial answered (+)
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Also see: “R. Kelly got away with it in 2018, but not anymore”
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