Federal Prosecutors File Midnight Motion to Keep R. Kelly in Prison ‘For the Rest of His Life’

R. Kelly in Court federal child pornography

Federal prosecutors are looking to add 25 more years in prison to R. Kelly’s sentence for his Chicago sex crime convictions. According to ABC7 Chicago, prosecutors filed the sentencing recommendation just ahead of midnight Thursday.

The recommendation would, if approved, would tack 25 years onto Kelly’s current 30 years sentence that he would serve for his New York case.

Prosecutors stated in a govenrment filing, “The only way to ensure Kelly does not reoffend is to impose a sentence that will keep him in prison for the rest of his life.”

In opposition, Kelly’s attorney recommends a ten year sentence. The attorney also noted that the recommendatione xceeds sentencing guidelines and cite Kelly is being targeted as “white rock stars have gotten away with for decades.”

In the recommendation, R. Kelly was called “sadistic” and “a serial sexual predator.”

R. Kelly’s sentencing is set for Thursday.

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R. Kelly Denied New Trial, Will Be Sentenced Next Week

His attorneys have hoped that his 2022 conviction of child pornography charges would be overturned, but R. Kelly will remain behind bars. The disgraced singer has faced several sexual abuse charges after shocking allegations continued to surface. Following last year’s outcome, Kelly’s lawyers argued there wasn’t “enough evidence to sustain a guilty verdict on all six counts Kelly was convicted of.”

However, a judge disagreed, and the conviction stands. This means Kelly will face sentencing next week, on February 23. Defense attorneys claimed that an alleged victim known as “Jane” perjured herself on the stand. They said she lied about not wanting restitution following the singer’s conviction. To them, it meant she was motivated by means “that were not entirely honest.”

R. Kelly leaves the Leighton Criminal Court Building after a hearing on sexual abuse charges on May 7, 2019 in Chicago, Illinois. – Kelly is charged with 10 counts of aggravated sexual abuse. (Photo by KAMIL KRZACZYNSKI / AFP) (Photo credit should read KAMIL KRZACZYNSKI/AFP via Getty Images)
Read More: R. Kelly’s Lawyers Claim He’s Unfairly Targeted, Cite Elvis Presley Dating 14-Year-Old Wife

For decades, the hitmaker has been at the center of allegations of inappropriate sexual conduct. He was previously acquitted of charges related to child pornography back in the 1990s. However, rumors and gossip continued until the explosive arrival of Surviving R. Kelly. Last September, Kelly was found guilty of the child pornography charges in addition to three counts of enticing a minor. Defense attorneys told the judge that evidence didn’t prove that Kelly “enticed” anyone.

“Jane testified about how Kelly gradually persuaded her into sexual activity with him,” the judge reportedly wrote in court documents. “Jane described how Kelly induced her into making Videos One through Three and that Kelly positioned the camera and told Jane exactly what to do and say while having sex with him.”

Read More: R. Kelly Cases: Chicago Prosecutor Drops Sex Abuse Charges In State Case

The singer has also already been convicted in New York. In that case, he was convicted of racketeering and sex trafficking and was sentenced to 30 years. Next week, he faces upwards of 90 years in prison.

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R.Kelly’s Legal Team Suggests He’s Unfairly Targeted, Cites Elvis Presley Dating 14-Year-Old

elvis

R. Kelly’s legal team asked a federal judge for a short sentence in his Chicago case and claimed they unfairly targeted him. The convicted star could serve decades behind bars. His team wants the judge to reduce the sentence of his Chicago conviction to 11 years. Also, Jennifer Bonjean asked U.S. District Judge Harry Leinenweber if Kelly can serve that sentence during his 30-year sentence. Furthermore, the latter stems from a 2021 federal racketeering case in New York.

According to his legal team, the R&B artist’s Chicago case could have rolled into the New York one. Instead, Bonjean alleges her client unjustly faced a “piece-meal prosecution by the federal government.” The request appeared two weeks before the singer’s sentencing date on February 23 on charges of child pornography and criminal sexual activity with a minor in Chicago. As officials determine whether to add to his 30-year sentence, Kelly, 56, might sit behind bars until at least his late 70s. Moreover, Kelly’s trial in Chicago began right after his New York sentence for exploitation, bribery, racketeering, and sex trafficking.

Screen Shot 2023 02 12 at 11.28.24 AM
Top: Jerry Lee Lewis and his 13 year old cousin/wife

Middle: Singer Elvis Presley dating 14 year old Priscilla

Bottom: Filmmaker Woody Allen and his adopted daughter who became his wife

Kelly’s legal team also argued the precedent set by other high-profile music-related cases. For example, Elvis Presley started dating his wife Priscilla when she was just 14 years old. In addition, Bonjean cited David Bowie, Jerry Lee Lewis, and several other musicians who received similar accusations with no prosecution. In a 34-page sentencing memo, the lawyer claimed that prosecutors and society took particular aim at Kelly. Moreover, she referenced “a unique, unprecedented contempt for Kelly that is wanting as to his similarly situated white counterparts.”“[Kelly] was a damaged man in his late 20s with an extraordinarily traumatic childhood that he failed to confront,” she stated. Also, she mentioned his abuse at the hands of a family member and friend, suffering gunshot wounds, and helplessly watching a childhood girlfriend drown.

The post R.Kelly’s Legal Team Suggests He’s Unfairly Targeted, Cites Elvis Presley Dating 14-Year-Old appeared first on The Source.

R. Kelly’s Lawyers Claim He’s Unfairly Targeted, Cite Elvis Presley Dating 14-Year-Old Wife

R. Kelly’s legal team asked a federal judge for a short sentence in his Chicago case and claimed they unfairly targeted him on Friday (February 10). Moreover, the twice-convicted star already could serve decades behind bars. As such, his team wants to reduce the sentence of his Chicago conviction to 11 years. Also, Jennifer Bonjean asked U.S. District Judge Harry Leinenweber if Kelly can serve that sentence during his 30-year sentence. Furthermore, the latter stems from a 2021 federal racketeering case in New York.

CHICAGO, IL – SEPTEMBER 17: Singer R. Kelly appears during a hearing at the Leighton Criminal Courthouse on September 17, 2019 in Chicago, Illinois. Kelly is facing multiple sexual assault charges and is being held without bail. (Photo by Antonio Perez – Pool via Getty Images)

According to his legal team, the R&B artist’s Chicago case could’ve rolled into the New York one. Instead, Bonjean alleges her client unjustly faced a “piece-meal prosecution by the federal government.” Said request appeared two weeks before the singer’s sentencing date on February 23 on charges on child pornography and criminal sexual activity with a minor in Chicago. As officials determine whether to add to his 30-year sentence, Kelly, 56, might sit behind bars until at least his late 70s. Moreover, Kelly’s trial in Chicago began right after his New York sentence for exploitation, bribery, racketeering, and sex trafficking.

Another argument Kelly’s legal team presented is the precedent set by other high-profile music-related cases. For example, Elvis Presley started dating his wife Priscilla when she was just 14 years old. In addition, Bonjean cited David Bowie, Jerry Lee Lewis, and several other musicians who received similar accusations with no prosecution. In a 34-page sentencing memo, the lawyer claimed that prosecutors and society took particular aim at Kelly. Moreover, she referenced “a unique, unprecedented contempt for Kelly that is wanting as to his similarly situated white counterparts.”

Meanwhile, Bonjean also referred to the singer’s lifelong struggles. “[Kelly] was a damaged man in his late 20s with an extraordinarily traumatic childhood that he failed to confront,” she stated. Also, she mentioned his abuse at the hands of a family member and friend, suffering gunshot wounds, and helplessly watching a childhood girlfriend drown. Regardless, let us know what you think of these developments in the comments down below. Also, as always, stay logged into HNHH for the latest updates on the R. Kelly story.

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How The Music Industry Failed Aaliyah

With her enigmatic beauty, effortless tomboy style, and honey-like voice draped across hip-hop beats, Aaliyah captured the hearts of young Black girls in the ’90s and early ’00s. Her songs helped redefine genres like contemporary R&B, pop, and hip-hop, and she even earned herself the nickname “Princess of R&B.”

You can see her influence on other artists today, like Ciara, Normani, Kehlani, and more.

At ten years old, she first captured America’s hearts with her performance on Star Search. Her momentum only grew when she dropped her debut album a few years later, Age Ain’t Nothing But A Number. Her music offered a slinky, edgy alternative to the teen pop stars of her generation — your Britneys or Christinas — with less theatrical vocals than the balladeers of the time, like Whitney Houston or Mariah Carey.

It was sleek. It was sexy. It was cool. And so was she. Her baggy clothes and sunglasses created an air of mystery around her, especially with her now iconic hairstyle, where the singer covered her left eye, almost reminiscent of the late actress Veronica Lake.

Her fame continued to swell as she dropped more projects like her second album, One In A Million, in which she worked with the now famous (but not at the time) Virgian-bred producers Missy Elliot and Timberland. Songs like “If Your Girl Only Knew,” “Hot Like Fire,” or “4 Page Letter” showcased her angelic-like vocals, pairing well with the grittiness of hip-hop.

As her albums progressed, so did her sound. Her third and final album, Aaliyah, proved that the singer had evolved from the pop-influenced hip-hop and R&B melodies in her previous work to a more mature, introspective sound. Unfortunately, that would be her last project due to her untimely death in 2001, at 22, after suffering from significant injuries during a plane crash in the Bahamas.

Whether you were listening to her chart-topping hits or watching her on the big screen in films like Romeo Must Die, it’s evident the “More Than A Woman” singer had become an inescapable force in entertainment before her death. What’s also evident is that the very thing that made her special — her sleek, “mature” nature — is the same thing that put her in harm’s way. Since she debuted under R. Kelly, Aaliyah got introduced to the world as if she was a grown woman when she was not.

Her debut album, Age Ain’t Nothing But A Number, which Kelly primarily produced, featured a track on the project of the same name that centered on a young Aaliyah trying to serenade her older lover to “go all the way” with her. With the album’s release, rumors swirled that the pair were in a relationship. At the time, Kelly was in his late 20s, whereas she would’ve been in her early teens, but when asked about her age, she would often play coy.

The rumors were confirmed after a marriage certificate between the singers surfaced in the late 1990s. According to reports, Aaliyah, who was 15 then, was listed as 18 on the certificate, while R. Kelly was 27. Her parents annulled the marriage a short time later, and Aaliyah would eventually cut off all professional and personal ties with Kelly and cease contact with him.

Kelly, the self-proclaimed “Pied Piper of R&B,” would eventually face judgment for his crimes — first in 2008, although he was ultimately acquitted on a child pornography charge, and again in 2022, where he was convicted on three counts of producing child pornography and three counts of enticing a minor to engage in sexual activity. But, it still feels like Aaliyah never got the justice she deserved.

Throughout the Surviving R Kelly series, which first premiered in 2019, it became apparent how easily disposable Black girls, particularly Aaliyah, were to men like Kelly. The lack of intervention from the adults in her own family, including her uncle and manager Barry Hankerson, and the lack of societal outrage further compounded her situation.

But times have changed, at least for some. In the wake of #Metoo, many women, particularly white women, have been able to rewrite their stories and offer different retrospectives of their experiences. People have been reconsidering the treatment of stars like Britney Spears — and now even Jessica Simpson — who received apologies and reassessed their legacies in public.

However, Black women get continually left out of the conversation, according to the feminist author and writer Shanita Hubbard. Since the culture has had time to reflect, it’s time to address the flaws and problems within our community honestly, she says. While it’s crucial to center Aaliyah, Hubbard believes we can extrapolate this for other Black girls because, like the young singer, Black girls are often not protected.

“This isn’t even just our opinions. The data supports that even in our schools, Black girls are suspended at disproportionate rates,” she says. “We understand from a cultural perspective that it took understanding that this is really indicative of America itself.”

But in the broader context, particularly when it comes to hip hop, Hubbard noted that the industry Aaliyah failed in so many ways. She says that because Aaliyah was marketed as a fully adult woman, she became viewed as needing less protection.

“It starts with the adultification of Black girls in society,” Hubbard says. “In society, Black women are seen as so ‘strong.’ We are the mules of the world, right? So who shows up for those of us who are the strongest?”

Hubbard continues, “We looked at Aaliyah, and although she was a young girl at the time, people collectively still didn’t see her as a young girl. They saw her as a woman.”

For many folks, men like R. Kelly aren’t just entertainers. They represent a “rags to riches” story that people who grew up in impoverished, urban areas can identify with.

“For a lot of people, that’s worthy of protection,” Hubbard says. “That’s a reflection of what could happen, right? It’s a reflection of possibilities.”

Due to the history of Black men being falsely accused of rape, there is often an instinctual need to protect Black men even at the cost of the harm they’re possibly committing, which usually comes at the expense of the victims’ silence.

“If you grew up hearing that Black men are ‘endangered’ and worthy of protection, who do you think the community is going to show up to protect those who are already viewed and seen as strong or those in need of protection?” she says.

Hubbard believes that while the culture has started to shift somewhat, she said it would take more than a few documentaries and op-eds.

“It’s gonna take for us to keep having these difficult conversations,” she says.

Aaliyah’s story is one of many pitfalls, but in the end, the legacy she left behind will never be forgotten. In the last years of her life, the singer’s body of work was indicative of her growing up, finally earning the “mature” label imposed upon her as a child, and becoming confident not only as an artist but also in herself.

Unfortunately, due to her untimely death at 22, many “what ifs” will remain unanswered about where her career could have gone. But one thing remains clear, Aaliyah was indeed “One In A Milion,” and there will never be another like her.

Woman Claims To Be R. Kelly & Aaliyah’s Biological Daughter

A woman recently claimed to be R. Kelly and Aaliyah’s biological daughter via a TikTok video. “Okay, y’all, my name is Love,” she expressed. “My given name. I am the biological daughter of Aaliyah Haughton and Robert Kelly, R. Kelly. I just want to tell my truth and tell my mother’s truth because I feel like it’s time and it’s needed. I feel like I went through so many things as far as keeping this identity and deliberating with different family members. You know the energy, you guys know how it can get. I just want the world to know the best part of me. I am also accepting of my mother Aaliyah Haughton. I’ve been shook around…”

Aaliyah during TNT Presents – A Gift of Song – New York – January 1, 1997 in New York City, New York, United States. (Photo by KMazur/WireImage)

Following these claims, Love received a lot of backlash and claims of lying in the comments. Moreover, many people filled No Jumper‘s report post with their own takes on this claim. For example, a lot of commenters posted a slew of laughing emojis in reference to her story. “She don’t look nothing like them,” one commenter wrote, with another adding “Why her eyes look at each other. She know she lying.” Also, some pointed out the apparent drawings of presumably Aaliyah that she hung in the wall behind her. “We not really entertaining this are we,” a user remarked. “This like knowing somebody is throwed off and actually follow them.”

Still, some came to Love’s defense, expressing empathy and lack of proper knowledge to comment on the situation. “That is not nice who knows if this is true or not,” a concerned user wrote. “S**t a lot has been going on and we don’t know don’t look at her and automatically because of how she looks people’s quick to judge that is not nice let’s give her a chance.” In fact, one user even responded to VladTV‘s laughing emojis.

“That could be yo daughter too,” they posted. “I don’t know why u laughing i heard u gotta black women pregnant that look just like her and the mutha send her to yo house grown up and now you send her to lie in a video that she’s r kelly daughter oh well.” Regardless of what you believe, let us know in the comments and log back into HNHH for more curious music stories.

R. Kelly Has ‘No Real Sense of Relief’ After Chicago Sex Crimes Charges Dropped

R. Kelly in Court federal child pornography

In the case against R. Kelly, a Chicago prosecutor declared that her office would drop the sexual assault allegations against the famous R&B singer. The Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx stated the charges are dropped after Kells had already been convicted of two federal crimes and “is looking at the possibility of never walking out of prison again.”

2019 saw Foxx calling for Kelly’s victims to come forward and expressing concern that people who had come forward against Kelly “may be disappointed” by the most recent disclosure.

“Mr. Kelly is potentially looking at the possibility of never walking out of prison again for the crimes that he’s committed,” Foxx said, referring to his other federal convictions. “While today’s cases are no longer being pursued, we believe justice has been served.”

How does Kelly feel? No relief at all. His attorney, Jennifer Bonjean, spoke with TMZ and stated it was the right move but ultimately did nothing.

“There is no real sense of relief,” Bonjean said. “He is still fighting for his life. He is facing decades in prison.”

Foxx doubled down in justice being served, which you can see below.

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R. Kelly’s Rep Responds After Prosecutor Drops Sex Abuse Charges

R Kelly isn’t relieved, despite prosecutors dropping sex abuse charges.

Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx said she wants to dismiss sex abuse charges against R Kelly, though this news isn’t necessarily a relief to the embattled singer.

LOS ANGELES, CA – JUNE 30: R. Kelly performs onstage during R. Kelly, New Edition and The Jacksons at the 2013 BET Experience at Staples Center on June 30, 2013 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Earl Gibson III/Getty Images for BET)

Per TMZ, the singer’s rep, Jennifer Bonjean, said she spoke to him following Foxx’s decision. Though she praised the State’s Attorney’s move, she said Kelly continues to face the reality of remaining behind bars for the rest of his life.

Foxx revealed that her decision to reel back from pursuing these charges against Kelly were due to numerous factors, including the cost. Additionally, she said that the federal court already convicted him on two similar counts. “[R. Kelly] is looking at the possibility of never walking out of prison again,” she said. “We believe justice has been served,” she added.

Though the sex abuse charges aren’t necessarily weighing on Kelly’s shoulders, there’s still a good chance he won’t be free anytime soon. “There is no real sense of relief. He is still fighting for his life. He is facing decades in prison,” Bonjean said, adding that Foxx made “the right move” to drop the charges.

CHICAGO, IL – SEPTEMBER 17: Singer R. Kelly appears during a hearing at the Leighton Criminal Courthouse on September 17, 2019 in Chicago, Illinois. Kelly is facing multiple sexual assault charges and is being held without bail. (Photo by Antonio Perez – Pool via Getty Images)

Prosecutors accused Kelly of sexually abusing four people, three of which were minors at the time.

During his New York trial, a judge sentenced Kelly to 30 years behind bars. However, his sentencing in Illinois takes place in February and could lead to an additional 10 to 90 years behind bars. Sexual abuse charges or not, Kelly won’t be coming home anytime soon. 

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