R&B superstar R. Kelly's notorious history of sex allegations and convictions

A key prosecution witness against R&nbsp;Kelly at his sex abuse trial testified on Thursday that the R&amp;B singer videotaped their sexual activity when she was 16 and insisted she dress like a Girl Scout. 
 
Jerhonda Pace, 28, one of the first women to publicly accuse Kelly of sexual abuse, spoke during her second day of testimony in Brooklyn federal court, the first of many expected prosecution witnesses against the 54-year-old Kelly. 
 
The singer, whose full name is Robert Sylvester Kelly, has pleaded not guilty to a nine-count indictment accusing him of dominating and demanding absolute commitment from women and girls he abused in a two-decade racketeering scheme. 
 
Prosecutors said the three-time Grammy winner, whose songs include "I Believe I Can Fly" and "Bump N` Grind," used an entourage of managers, bodyguards and others to recruit victims, and threatened to blackmail them if they fled. 
 
Pace is one of six alleged victims named in the indictment. 
 
Four were minors at the time of the alleged abuse, including Pace and the singer Aaliyah, who was 15 when Kelly married her. Aaliyah died in a 2001 plane crash. Kelly was charged in 2019. 
 
Pace had testified on Wednesday that the abuse included a requirement she abide by "Rob`s rules," such as seeking permission to go to the bathroom, acknowledging Kelly when he entered a room and referring to him as "Daddy." 
 
The married mother of four also said she had contracted herpes, a disease that prosecutors have said Kelly knowingly transmitted. 
 
Pace told Assistant US&nbsp;Attorney Elizabeth Geddes on Thursday that Kelly sometimes wanted her to wear pigtails for their encounters and "dress like a Girl Scout," yet admonished her to tell everyone she was 19. 
 
On cross-examination, Deveraux Cannick, a lawyer for Kelly, tried to show Kelly did not realize Pace was underage, despite her testifying he saw her ID card listing her age as 16. 
 
Pace admitted on Thursday to signing a settlement agreement with Kelly that said she had not shown him the card. 
 
"I didn`t see the agreement before I signed it," she said. 
 
After the prosecution resumed questioning, Pace read from a January 2010 journal entry where she wrote that Kelly had choked and had sex with her the last time she saw him at his Chicago home. 
 
"Rob slapped me three times, and said if I lied to him again it`s not going to be an open hand next time," Pace read. 
 
Defense lawyers have argued in court papers and at trial that Kelly`s accusers were embellishing their accounts or lying in order to profit or extract revenge after their relationships didn`t work out as they had planned. 
 
After Pace finished testifying, Kris McGrath, who said he had been Kelly`s doctor for 25 years, told jurors that he "100%" believed the singer had herpes, prescribed treatment as early as 2007 and urged him to tell his sexual partners. 
 
The trial is the culmination of years of suspicions and accusations against Kelly, many discussed in the 2019 Lifetime documentary "Surviving R. Kelly," and nearly four years after the start of the #MeToo era. 
 
Kelly could face life in prison if convicted. He also faces sex-related criminal charges in Illinois and Minnesota.

A key prosecution witness against R Kelly at his sex abuse trial testified on Thursday that the R&B singer videotaped their sexual activity when she was 16 and insisted she dress like a Girl Scout.

A key prosecution witness against R Kelly at his sex abuse trial testified on Thursday that the R&B singer videotaped their sexual activity when she was 16 and insisted she dress like a Girl Scout. Jerhonda Pace, 28, one of the first women to publicly accuse Kelly of sexual abuse, spoke during her second day of testimony in Brooklyn federal court, the first of many expected prosecution witnesses against the 54-year-old Kelly. The singer, whose full name is Robert Sylvester Kelly, has pleaded not guilty to a nine-count indictment accusing him of dominating and demanding absolute commitment from women and girls he abused in a two-decade racketeering scheme. Prosecutors said the three-time Grammy winner, whose songs include "I Believe I Can Fly" and "Bump N` Grind," used an entourage of managers, bodyguards and others to recruit victims, and threatened to blackmail them if they fled. Pace is one of six alleged victims named in the indictment. Four were minors at the time of the alleged abuse, including Pace and the singer Aaliyah, who was 15 when Kelly married her. Aaliyah died in a 2001 plane crash. Kelly was charged in 2019. Pace had testified on Wednesday that the abuse included a requirement she abide by "Rob`s rules," such as seeking permission to go to the bathroom, acknowledging Kelly when he entered a room and referring to him as "Daddy." The married mother of four also said she had contracted herpes, a disease that prosecutors have said Kelly knowingly transmitted. Pace told Assistant US Attorney Elizabeth Geddes on Thursday that Kelly sometimes wanted her to wear pigtails for their encounters and "dress like a Girl Scout," yet admonished her to tell everyone she was 19. On cross-examination, Deveraux Cannick, a lawyer for Kelly, tried to show Kelly did not realize Pace was underage, despite her testifying he saw her ID card listing her age as 16. Pace admitted on Thursday to signing a settlement agreement with Kelly that said she had not shown him the card. "I didn`t see the agreement before I signed it," she said. After the prosecution resumed questioning, Pace read from a January 2010 journal entry where she wrote that Kelly had choked and had sex with her the last time she saw him at his Chicago home. "Rob slapped me three times, and said if I lied to him again it`s not going to be an open hand next time," Pace read. Defense lawyers have argued in court papers and at trial that Kelly`s accusers were embellishing their accounts or lying in order to profit or extract revenge after their relationships didn`t work out as they had planned. After Pace finished testifying, Kris McGrath, who said he had been Kelly`s doctor for 25 years, told jurors that he "100%" believed the singer had herpes, prescribed treatment as early as 2007 and urged him to tell his sexual partners. The trial is the culmination of years of suspicions and accusations against Kelly, many discussed in the 2019 Lifetime documentary "Surviving R. Kelly," and nearly four years after the start of the #MeToo era. Kelly could face life in prison if convicted. He also faces sex-related criminal charges in Illinois and Minnesota.

R Kelly accuser testifies that singer made her dress like a Girl Scout

R. Kelly will be in a Brooklyn court on Monday as jury selection begins in his sex trafficking trial, where a conviction could result in decades in prison for the Grammy-winning R&amp;B singer. 
 
Federal prosecutors charged Kelly, 54, with leading an entourage of managers, bodyguards and others to recruit women and girls for him to have sex with and abuse and to produce pornography, including child pornography. Kelly has pleaded not guilty to a nine-count indictment that includes accusations of racketeering, bribery, extortion and demanding "absolute commitment" from victims, isolating them from friends and family and requiring they call him "Daddy." 
 
The trial before US&nbsp;District Judge Ann Donnelly begins on Aug. 18 and may last several weeks. Kelly, whose full name is Robert Sylvester Kelly, has been jailed for more than two years. 
 
One of his lawyers said last week that Kelly`s "funds have been depleted," and that Kelly needed new clothing for trial because he had gained weight in jail. Sexual abuse allegations have dogged Kelly since the 1990s, when he recorded such hits as 'I Believe I Can Fly,'&nbsp;for which he won three Grammy awards, and 'Bump n` Grind.'&nbsp;Some allegations were discussed in the 2019 Lifetime documentary 'Surviving R. Kelly.' 
 
Hundreds of prospective jurors have completed 22-page questionnaires aimed at ensuring Kelly gets a fair trial. 
The indictment describes Kelly`s alleged mistreatment of five victims, Jane Does #2 through #6, some of whom are expected to testify. Three were underage at the time of the alleged abuse. 
 
Prosecutors also charged Kelly with bribing an Illinois official to obtain fake identification for the singer Aaliyah in 1994, when she was 15 and he was 27, showing her age as 18 so they could get married secretly. 
 
Donnelly will let prosecutors try to show Kelly and Aaliyah, who is Jane Doe #1 in the indictment and died in 2001, had sexual contact. 
Prosecutors have said Kelly believed Aaliyah had become pregnant and got married so she, as his wife, would not have to testify if he were criminally charged. 
 
Donnelly has said prosecutors can present evidence that Kelly mistreated other women including audio recordings of Kelly yelling and physically assaulting women. She also said an alleged male victim can testify that Kelly sexually abused him. 
Kelly has also pleaded not guilty to federal charges in Chicago of engaging in sex acts with five underage victims and sex-related charges by state prosecutors in Illinois and Minnesota.

R. Kelly will be in a Brooklyn court on Monday as jury selection begins in his sex trafficking trial, where a conviction could result in decades in prison for the Grammy-winning R&B singer.

R. Kelly will be in a Brooklyn court on Monday as jury selection begins in his sex trafficking trial, where a conviction could result in decades in prison for the Grammy-winning R&B singer. Federal prosecutors charged Kelly, 54, with leading an entourage of managers, bodyguards and others to recruit women and girls for him to have sex with and abuse and to produce pornography, including child pornography. Kelly has pleaded not guilty to a nine-count indictment that includes accusations of racketeering, bribery, extortion and demanding "absolute commitment" from victims, isolating them from friends and family and requiring they call him "Daddy." The trial before US District Judge Ann Donnelly begins on Aug. 18 and may last several weeks. Kelly, whose full name is Robert Sylvester Kelly, has been jailed for more than two years. One of his lawyers said last week that Kelly`s "funds have been depleted," and that Kelly needed new clothing for trial because he had gained weight in jail. Sexual abuse allegations have dogged Kelly since the 1990s, when he recorded such hits as 'I Believe I Can Fly,' for which he won three Grammy awards, and 'Bump n` Grind.' Some allegations were discussed in the 2019 Lifetime documentary 'Surviving R. Kelly.' Hundreds of prospective jurors have completed 22-page questionnaires aimed at ensuring Kelly gets a fair trial. The indictment describes Kelly`s alleged mistreatment of five victims, Jane Does #2 through #6, some of whom are expected to testify. Three were underage at the time of the alleged abuse. Prosecutors also charged Kelly with bribing an Illinois official to obtain fake identification for the singer Aaliyah in 1994, when she was 15 and he was 27, showing her age as 18 so they could get married secretly. Donnelly will let prosecutors try to show Kelly and Aaliyah, who is Jane Doe #1 in the indictment and died in 2001, had sexual contact. Prosecutors have said Kelly believed Aaliyah had become pregnant and got married so she, as his wife, would not have to testify if he were criminally charged. Donnelly has said prosecutors can present evidence that Kelly mistreated other women including audio recordings of Kelly yelling and physically assaulting women. She also said an alleged male victim can testify that Kelly sexually abused him. Kelly has also pleaded not guilty to federal charges in Chicago of engaging in sex acts with five underage victims and sex-related charges by state prosecutors in Illinois and Minnesota.

R&B singer R Kelly heads to trial on sex abuse charges

R Kelly told a federal judge on Wednesday that he fired two of his defence lawyers, exposing deep rifts in the singer`s legal defense team ahead of his August sex abuse trial in New York. 
 
Kelly confirmed to US District Judge Ann Donnelly in Brooklyn that he fired Steve Greenberg and Michael Leonard, leaving him with two defence lawyers. 
 
"Is that what your wish is?" Donnelly asked Kelly during a hearing conducted by telephone. 
 
"Absolutely, yes ma`am, your honor," he responded.

Kelly`s remaining lawyers, Thomas Farinella and Nicole Becker, said they will keep preparing for the scheduled Aug. 9 trial. 
 
The hearing briefly included allegations by Greenberg that unidentified members of the defense team had "documented mental health issues" and "can`t deal with stress." 
 
Donnelly asked that Greenberg and Leonard explain in writing why they were pulling out. She also said she would not delay the trial, which was originally scheduled for May 2020. 
 
Farinella and Becker could not immediately be reached for comment. 
 
Known for such hits as "I Believe I Can Fly" and "Bump N` Grind," Kelly, 54, has faced sexual abuse allegations dating back more than two decades, including in the January 2019 Lifetime documentary "Surviving R Kelly." 
 
The Grammy Award-winning singer has pleaded not guilty to all criminal charges in cases filed in New York, Illinois and Minnesota, and has been held without bail for nearly two years. 
 
Brooklyn prosecutors accused Kelly of running a criminal scheme in which women and underage girls were recruited to have sexual activity with him. 
 
The Chicago case includes charges that Kelly engaged in sex acts with five minors, and used threats to keep victims quiet. 
 
According to court records, a trial is scheduled for September, but the judge has asked both sides to propose a new date.

R Kelly told a federal judge on Wednesday that he fired two of his defence lawyers, exposing deep rifts in the singer`s legal defense team ahead of his August sex abuse trial in New York.

R Kelly told a federal judge on Wednesday that he fired two of his defence lawyers, exposing deep rifts in the singer`s legal defense team ahead of his August sex abuse trial in New York. Kelly confirmed to US District Judge Ann Donnelly in Brooklyn that he fired Steve Greenberg and Michael Leonard, leaving him with two defence lawyers. "Is that what your wish is?" Donnelly asked Kelly during a hearing conducted by telephone. "Absolutely, yes ma`am, your honor," he responded. Kelly`s remaining lawyers, Thomas Farinella and Nicole Becker, said they will keep preparing for the scheduled Aug. 9 trial. The hearing briefly included allegations by Greenberg that unidentified members of the defense team had "documented mental health issues" and "can`t deal with stress." Donnelly asked that Greenberg and Leonard explain in writing why they were pulling out. She also said she would not delay the trial, which was originally scheduled for May 2020. Farinella and Becker could not immediately be reached for comment. Known for such hits as "I Believe I Can Fly" and "Bump N` Grind," Kelly, 54, has faced sexual abuse allegations dating back more than two decades, including in the January 2019 Lifetime documentary "Surviving R Kelly." The Grammy Award-winning singer has pleaded not guilty to all criminal charges in cases filed in New York, Illinois and Minnesota, and has been held without bail for nearly two years. Brooklyn prosecutors accused Kelly of running a criminal scheme in which women and underage girls were recruited to have sexual activity with him. The Chicago case includes charges that Kelly engaged in sex acts with five minors, and used threats to keep victims quiet. According to court records, a trial is scheduled for September, but the judge has asked both sides to propose a new date.

Singer R Kelly tells judge he fired two defence lawyers as trial looms

A Brooklyn judge denied bail to singer-songwriter R&nbsp;Kelly in his sex abuse case after the accused artist requested to be released while awaiting trial. 
 
The singer`s lawyers asked a federal judge earlier this week if he would reconsider his decision to hold Kelly in jail without bond, according to the Chicago Tribune, reported People. 
 
While his lawyers argued that even if the 52-year-old singer was out on bail he does not have the funds to leave the country, new legal documents obtained by TMZ state prosecutors believe that the star is still deemed a flight risk. 
 
The outlet cited prosecutors who alleged that following Kelly`s release on bail in Illinois, he attempted to travel to Dubai with two of his girlfriends and that he continues to earn thousands of dollars in music royalties, which he allegedly has been redirecting to a friend`s bank account.

According to Page Six, Kelly was not present in court on Wednesday for Brooklyn federal Judge Ann Donnelly`s decision. Donnelly noted that she found Kelly`s finances to be "murky, to say the least," and if he was to be released on bail there would be "nothing to deter him" from threatening the witnesses in the case. 
 
On Monday, an 11-page motion was filed in US&nbsp;District Court in Brooklyn in which Kelly`s lawyer, Steven Greenberg, complained about the unfair restrictions for his client while being held in the general population at the Metropolitan Correctional Center in downtown Chicago, the Chicago Tribune, as cited by People. 
 
"His visits are severely restricted. Presently, he is only allowed one unrelated person to visit. In other words, although he lives and has lived with two lady friends, only one of them is allowed to be on his visiting list, and after 90 days he is required to switch," Greenberg claimed. 
 
"No other friends or professional colleagues are allowed to visit. That is not right," Greenberg added. 
 
The Grammy-winning singer is currently facing charges of sex-trafficking, sexual assault and child pornography spread throughout Brooklyn, Chicago, and Minneapolis. 
 
In June, he pleaded not guilty to 11 felony sexual abuse counts after he was charged by Cook County prosecutors in Chicago. The charges included five counts of aggravated criminal sexual assault, coming from one accuser who said that Kelly abused her in 2009 and 2010 while she was a minor. 
 
A month later, the `Write Me Back` singer was arrested again and indicted on federal charges including child pornography, racketeering and obstruction of justice in both Illinois and New York. He has remained jailed since then after being denied bail. 
In August, Kelly was charged with two sex crimes in Minnesota after supposedly paying a teen girl USD 200 to dance nude back in 2001. The trial is set to begin on May 18, 2020, and the proceeding is likely to take three weeks. 
 
The singer has faced accusations of abuse and inappropriate encounters with females for more than two decades. Kelly, who was also the subject of the documentary `Surviving R Kelly`, has denied all the allegations levelled against him.&nbsp;

A Brooklyn judge denied bail to singer-songwriter R Kelly in his sex abuse case after the accused artist requested to be released while awaiting trial. The singer`s lawyers asked a federal judge earlier this week if he would reconsider his decision to hold Kelly in jail without bond, according to the Chicago Tribune, reported People.

A Brooklyn judge denied bail to singer-songwriter R Kelly in his sex abuse case after the accused artist requested to be released while awaiting trial. The singer`s lawyers asked a federal judge earlier this week if he would reconsider his decision to hold Kelly in jail without bond, according to the Chicago Tribune, reported People. While his lawyers argued that even if the 52-year-old singer was out on bail he does not have the funds to leave the country, new legal documents obtained by TMZ state prosecutors believe that the star is still deemed a flight risk. The outlet cited prosecutors who alleged that following Kelly`s release on bail in Illinois, he attempted to travel to Dubai with two of his girlfriends and that he continues to earn thousands of dollars in music royalties, which he allegedly has been redirecting to a friend`s bank account. According to Page Six, Kelly was not present in court on Wednesday for Brooklyn federal Judge Ann Donnelly`s decision. Donnelly noted that she found Kelly`s finances to be "murky, to say the least," and if he was to be released on bail there would be "nothing to deter him" from threatening the witnesses in the case. On Monday, an 11-page motion was filed in US District Court in Brooklyn in which Kelly`s lawyer, Steven Greenberg, complained about the unfair restrictions for his client while being held in the general population at the Metropolitan Correctional Center in downtown Chicago, the Chicago Tribune, as cited by People. "His visits are severely restricted. Presently, he is only allowed one unrelated person to visit. In other words, although he lives and has lived with two lady friends, only one of them is allowed to be on his visiting list, and after 90 days he is required to switch," Greenberg claimed. "No other friends or professional colleagues are allowed to visit. That is not right," Greenberg added. The Grammy-winning singer is currently facing charges of sex-trafficking, sexual assault and child pornography spread throughout Brooklyn, Chicago, and Minneapolis. In June, he pleaded not guilty to 11 felony sexual abuse counts after he was charged by Cook County prosecutors in Chicago. The charges included five counts of aggravated criminal sexual assault, coming from one accuser who said that Kelly abused her in 2009 and 2010 while she was a minor. A month later, the `Write Me Back` singer was arrested again and indicted on federal charges including child pornography, racketeering and obstruction of justice in both Illinois and New York. He has remained jailed since then after being denied bail. In August, Kelly was charged with two sex crimes in Minnesota after supposedly paying a teen girl USD 200 to dance nude back in 2001. The trial is set to begin on May 18, 2020, and the proceeding is likely to take three weeks. The singer has faced accusations of abuse and inappropriate encounters with females for more than two decades. Kelly, who was also the subject of the documentary `Surviving R Kelly`, has denied all the allegations levelled against him.

R Kelly denied bail, trial date set for May 2020