On Wednesday, the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld R. Kelly’s 30-year prison sentence, confirming his convictions on racketeering and sex trafficking charges. The court found that Kelly exploited his fame for over 25 years to sexually abuse young girls and women.
The Grammy-winning R&B artist was convicted in 2021 after a trial in Brooklyn federal court. His lawyer, Jennifer Bonjean, expressed confidence that the U.S. Supreme Court would hear an appeal, calling the 2nd Circuit ruling “unprecedented” and arguing that it gave prosecutors excessive power in applying racketeering laws.
Kelly was also convicted in 2022 in Chicago for child sex charges, including producing child sexual abuse images, but the Supreme Court declined to hear an appeal related to his 20-year sentence in that case.
The 2nd Circuit dismissed Kelly’s claims that the trial evidence was insufficient or that various legal issues, including biased jurors and improper rulings, should have led to a different outcome. The court noted that Kelly, with the help of managers and staff, lured young girls into his control, isolating them from friends and family and subjecting them to verbal, physical, and sexual abuse.
The court also ruled that testimonies about Kelly exposing victims to herpes and showing graphic videos were valid, as they demonstrated his control over the victims. Additionally, they upheld a restitution award to one victim for a lifetime supply of herpes medication, despite Kelly’s legal team’s objections that it unfairly enriched witnesses.
Kelly, best known for hits like “I Believe I Can Fly,” sold millions of albums and maintained his popularity despite early abuse allegations. He was acquitted of child sexual abuse charges in 2008 but was convicted in 2022 on similar charges in Chicago. His sexual misconduct received widespread attention after the release of the documentary Surviving R. Kelly amid the #MeToo movement.
