According to Chicago Federal Judge Harry Leinenweber’s decision on Thursday, February 16, American singer and convicted sex offender R. Kelly has been denied all requests for acquittal and a new federal trial.
On nine counts, including “sexual exploitation of children” and “transportation of women and girls in interstate commerce to engage in illicit sexual activity,” Kelly, 56, received a 30-year jail term in 2022. In Chicago last year, he was found guilty of three counts of child enticement and three counts of child pornography.
On February 4, the singer’s attorneys submitted a move for a new trial, arguing that the trial’s key witness, who claimed to be unsure about whether to seek monetary damages from the case, deceived the jury. Less than two weeks later, the motion was rejected.
The star witness, simply identified as “Jane,” claimed that Kelly started harassing her sexually when she was just 14 years old and even recorded their interactions.
Jane did not lie during her testimony just because she and her lawyer discussed the potential of reparation, according to Leinenweber.
“Jane’s testimony was that she was undecided. Her testimony was not that she was not intending to pursue restitution.”
Following her convictions for child pornography and sexual inducement in September 2002, Kelly will be sentenced on February 23 as planned. He is still in detention because he was found guilty of racketeering and sex trafficking in a New York case.