Judge sets $1 million bail for R Kelly in sexual assault case
|Published
Chicago - Grammy-winning R&B singer R.
Kelly, who for years has faced allegations that he abused women
and underage girls, appeared in court in Chicago on Saturday to
face charges that he sexually assaulted four people, including
three teenagers.
Cook County Judge John Lyke set bail at $1 million for Kelly
after calling the allegations "disturbing" during a hearing
where Kelly appeared in a black hooded sweatshirt and listened,
head down, as prosecutors outlined the case against him.
The 52-year-old, whose real name is Robert Kelly, was
charged with a 10-count indictment on Friday, nearly two months
after the Lifetime television network aired a six-hour
documentary series "Surviving R. Kelly" in which multiple women
accused him of sexual misconduct and abuse.
The judge also ordered Kelly not to have contact with anyone
under the age of 18.
In this still image taken from video, R. Kelly is escorted by police in custody at the Chicago Police Department's Central District. Picture: Nader Issa/Chicago Sun-Times via AP
At a news conference on Friday, the Cook County state's
attorney, Kimberly Foxx, said three of the four victims were
under age 17 at the time of the abuse, which dated back as far
as 1998. She did not comment on the details of the charges,
which each carry a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison.
His lawyer Steven Greenberg told reporters on Friday night
that prosecutors had "rushed to judgment" due to public
pressure.
"He's an innocent man," Greenberg said.
Lawyer Michael Avenatti, known for representing porn star
Stormy Daniels in her legal battle against President Donald
Trump, said at a separate news conference on Friday that he had
obtained a videotape from the late 1990s depicting Kelly
performing sexual acts with a 14-year-old girl.
Musician R Kelly leaves his Chicago studio Friday night on his way to surrender to police. Picture: Victor Hilitski/Chicago Sun-Times via AP
Avenatti, who said he represents two victims, two parents
and two whistleblowers from Kelly's inner circle, told reporters
he had given the tape to authorities.
More than a decade ago, Kelly was acquitted of child
pornography charges in Chicago. That case stemmed from a video
purportedly showing Kelly having sex with an underage girl; both
Kelly and the girl denied they were in the video.
Kelly, best known for his hit single "I Believe I Can Fly,"
has for years denied accusations of abuse.
In 1994, he married his 15-year-old protege, the singer
Aaliyah, a union that was annulled months later because of her
age. Aaliyah died in a plane crash in 2001.
R Kelly accuser Jerhonda Pace, left, walks into the Leighton Criminal Courthouse for R Kelly's first hearing since the R&B star was charged with sexually abusing four people, including three minors. Picture: Ashlee Rezin//Chicago Sun-Times via AP
"Surviving R. Kelly" touched off a new controversy when it
debuted in January, prompting his record label, Sony Music-owned
RCA, to end its relationship with the performer.
"We are proud that Lifetime was able to provide a platform
for survivors to be heard," Lifetime said in a statement on
Friday.
It was not clear if any of the alleged victims, who were not
named in the indictment, were the same as those in the
documentary.
Kelly, a three-time Grammy winner whose hits also include
"Bump N' Grind" and "Your Body's Callin," grew up in a Chicago
public housing project where, according to his autobiography, he
was sexually abused beginning at age 8.