R. Kelly is officially on trial in New York after months of delays, and he’s looking to score a win by having his herpes-related charges dismissed.
As reported by TMZ, one of R. Kelly’s first legal motions this week as his trial begins was to ask a judge to throw away charges related to two people who accused the singer of exposing them to sexually transmitted diseases, including herpes. He was charged for knowingly exposing two sexual partners to herpes in March 2020 but he’s seeking for the charges to be disregarded because of the legislature connected to the virus.
Cook County Sheriff’s Office via Getty Images
Kelly’s legal team is reportedly arguing that herpes does not fall under the umbrella of STDs under the law because it’s “Not An Acute, Bacterial Venereal Disease.” They are using the World Health Organization and the New York State Department of Health to back up their claims. Kelly’s lawyers say that herpes classifies as a virus, not a venereal disease, which would render the charges invalid.
The disgraced singer will also stand trial in Chicago later this year but, right now, all eyes are on his trial in New York. We will keep you updated as more news comes in from the courtroom.
