After the forfeiture, the sentence. 30 years in prison for R. Kelly.
Born Robert Sylvester Kelly, the R&B singer, world famous for his hit “I Believe I Can Fly”, was accused of having perpetrated these crimes, with complete impunity, taking advantage of his notoriety.
Five years after the start of the #MeToo surge, this trial had served as an indicator of sexual crimes in the African-American community.
#PEOPLE : Singer R. Kelly sentenced to 30 years in prison for sex crimes
The 55-year-old man was convicted at the end of September 2021 of extortion, sexual exploitation of a minor, kidnapping, trafficking, corruption and forced labor, over a period from 1994 to 2018. pic.twitter.com/mwfocOl3qM– Congo Daily (@ congodaily243) June 29, 2022
In their last indictment, the prosecutors of the federal court of Brooklyn had claimed at least 25 years of criminal imprisonment because of the “danger” that would represent R. Kelly, whose real name Robert Kelly, for his victims and for the public opinion. The US prosecutor’s office considers him to be “an impudent, manipulative, controlling and coercive, showing no signs of remorse or respect for the law”.
“Predator”
During the six weeks of trial last August and September, the fallen singer had been portrayed by the prosecution as “criminal, predatory”.
Nine women and two men had accused him of having sexually abused them, describing rape, forced drug taking, situations of imprisonment or even child pornography.
The 55-year-old man was convicted at the end of September 2021 of all charges: extortion, sexual exploitation of a minor, kidnapping, trafficking, corruption and forced labor, over a period from 1994 to 2018.
R. Kelly has always denied the facts.
Throughout his trial, the former African-American R&B star had remained silent, and had shown no particular emotion at the statement of his guilt, contenting himself with lowering his head and closing his eyes. .
#MeToo for black women
This lawsuit was considered a major step in the #MeToo movement: it was the first time that the majority of plaintiffs were black women and they accused a black artist.
American justice has made it possible for the first time to echo “the blood, sweat and tears of black women”.
Kenyette Barnes, militante
For Kenyette Barnes, the originator of hashtag #MuteRKelly (“Shut Up R. Kelly”) in 2017 – the same year as the global #MeToo movement sparked by the downfall of all-powerful Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein – US justice allowed for the first time to echo “the blood , to the sweat and tears of black women” that American society until now did not want to see.
Long before sexual violence was a subject for the media and social networks in the United States, African-American women fought to alert the authorities and public opinion. But for part of society, “black women are neither susceptible to rape nor credible”, denounced Kenyette Barnes in September.
The trial had exposed the “system” of R. Kelly to attract very young women and sexually assault them, with the complicity of those around him, as in a kind of mafia enterprise, according to the prosecution. Many victims had recounted their meeting with their idol during concerts after which they were slipped a small piece of paper with the singer’s contact details.
Drugged and raped
He would do something for their musical career, they were promised.
Instead, they were “indoctrinated” into R. Kelly’s “sordid” milieu, coerced into sex, and kept in that “system” by “coercive measures,” according to the prosecution.
Six women were the main accusers, some of whom claimed to have been drugged to be raped, locked up for a few days, forced to have abortions and infected with sexually transmitted diseases.
For lawyer Gloria Allred, who represents three of the six plaintiffs, the verdict against R. Kelly – the day after the 20 years in prison pronounced by the Manhattan court against the former British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell for sex trafficking of minors – must serve as an example for celebrities who use their “notoriety to prey on their fans”.