R. Kelly Bond Set At $1 Million As Officials Share Disturbing New Details Of Alleged Abuse
An Illinois judge set R. Kelly’s bond at $1 million on Saturday, one day after the singer was charged with 10 counts of criminal sexual abuse for incidents that allegedly occurred between 1998 and 2010.
Kelly, 52, showed up for his first court appearance since turning himself in to authorities Saturday morning with attorney Steve Greenberg, who told the judge his client was not a flight risk.
“Contrary to the song, Mr. Kelly doesn’t like to fly,” Greenberg said in a reference to one of Kelly’s biggest hits, per The Associated Press.
The judge called the charges against Kelly, which involve four alleged victims ― three of whom were under age 17 at the time ― “disturbing.”
Afterward, Cook County State’s Attorney Kimberly Foxx revealed several new details about the case, referring to the alleged victims only by their initials.
Kelly met one while signing an autograph outside the courthouse where his 2008 child pornography trial was held, Foxx said. The singer has denied any wrongdoing.
“J.P.,” the autograph seeker, met Kelly when she was under age 17, Foxx alleged. Knowing her age, Kelly repeatedly invited J.P. to his home and allegedly assaulted her between 2009 and 2010, sometimes while choking or spitting on her.
Foxx said that another alleged victim, “H.W.,” met Kelly at her 16th birthday party and that he was well aware of her age. She was given a business card with Kelly’s contact information, but her mother took it away citing her daughter’s age. H.W. managed to retrieve the card from her mother’s purse, Foxx said, and used it to contact Kelly, who invited her over to his studio.
When H.W.’s father dropped her off for school, the attorney said, she ordered a cab to take her to the studio, where Kelly allegedly assaulted her but had difficulty maintaining an erection. She then left with an envelope full of more cash than needed to pay for the cab rides to and from her school.
Foxx said that similar incidents occurred about once a month over the course of a year between 1998 and 1999.
“R.L” was 14 years old at the time Kelly first assaulted her, Foxx said. The singer allegedly made a videotape of the sexual encounters said to have taken place between 1998 and 2001; both subjects make reference to the teen’s young age.
Attorney Michael Avenatti, who represents R.L., described the tape in more detail at a Friday press conference in which he claimed that other, similar videos exist.
A 24-year-old hairdresser, “L.C.,” was alone in a room waiting for Kelly to arrive for a 2003 hair appointment when she says she was attacked, Foxx said. L.C. managed to resist while Kelly allegedly attempted to force her to perform oral sex, but the singer still ejaculated onto her body and spit on her, she says.
Greenberg told reporters that Kelly would have to work to come up with $100,000 ― the amount of his total bond needed to secure release from jail.
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R. Kelly Charged With 10 Counts Of Aggravated Criminal Sexual Abuse
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