R. Kelly Will Pay More Than $300,000 For Therapy And Herpes Treatment To Sex Crimes Victims
On September 12, A federal jury in Chicago convicted R. Kelly of producing child pornography and enticing girls for sex after a monthlong trial in his hometown, delivering another legal blow to the Grammy Award-winning singer who was once one of the world’s biggest R&B stars.
Prosecutors won convictions on six of the 13 counts against him, with many of the convictions carrying long mandatory sentences. But the government lost the marquee count — that Kelly and his then-business manager successfully rigged his state child pornography trial in 2008, according to ABC News.
Both of his co-defendants, including longtime business manager Derrel McDavid — who had told jurors that testimony from four Kelly accusers had led him to change his mind about Kelly's believability — were acquitted of all charges.
The trial was, in ways, a do-over of Kelly's 2008 child pornography trial, with a key video critical to both. Kelly, who shed tears of joy when jurors acquitted him in 2008, gave a thumbs-up sign to spectators after Wednesday's verdict but otherwise showed little emotion.
Before Kelly was returned to federal lockup, McDavid hugged Kelly, who rose from poverty on Chicago’s South Side to become a superstar.
The verdict comes months after a federal judge in New York sentenced Kelly to 30 years in prison in June for racketeering and sex trafficking. Based on that sentence, the 55-year-old won’t be eligible for release until he is around 80.
And two sexual misconduct trials still await Kelly — one in Minnesota and one in state court in Chicago.
After deliberating for 11 hours over two days, jurors convicted Kelly of three counts each of producing child pornography and enticement, while acquitting him of obstruction of justice, one count of production of child porn and three counts of receiving child porn.
Earlier this week, R. Kelly, the multiplatinum R&B singer convicted twice this year of sex crimes, will be required to pay at least $300,000 in restitution to some of his victims, a federal judge said on Wednesday.
The money will compensate two women, known as Jane and Stephanie, for the costs of therapy and herpes treatment, U.S. District Judge Ann Donnelly said at a hearing in Brooklyn, according to NBC News, That figure is likely to rise after prosecutors recalculate the cost of medication for Stephanie.
A 3rd victim, "Sonja," was denied restitution. So, at this point, it looks like Kelly will be on the hook for hundreds of thousands and possibly more.
Kelly attended the hearing via Zoom from a federal prison in Chicago.
Donnelly sentenced Kelly in June to 30 years in prison, after a jury convicted him of racketeering and other charges.
Prosecutors said the 55-year-old Kelly exploited his stardom and wealth over more than two decades to lure women and underage girls into his orbit for sex.
The month-long trial amplified accusations that had dogged the singer of the Grammy-winning hit “I Believe I Can Fly.”
Kelly was also convicted last month in Chicago on separate charges of child pornography and luring underage girls for sex.
He is awaiting sentencing in that case, and also faces various state charges in Illinois and Minnesota.
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