Things have been looking quite grim for R. Kelly. Despite dodging decades’ worth of sexual abuse allegations, the release of Surviving R. Kelly presented these heinous accusations against the singer on full display. His relationship with Aaliyah, specifically, was explored in-depth, revealing that the singer had bribed a state official to sign off on a marriage certificate that read Aaliyah was 18-years-old when she was actually 15.
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Per New York Daily News, Kelly’s attorney Thomas Farinella was asked about allegations surrounding Kelly’s marriage to Aaliyah during a pre-trial hearing in the embattled singer’s Brooklyn Federal Court sex trafficking case. Farinella was asked whether the defense was “going to deny that there was sexual contact with Jane Doe 1,” who New York Times identified as the late Aaliyah. Farinella reportedly took a deep sigh before responding “no” after Judge Ann Donelly said that Kelly and Jane Doe 1 were married. It was unclear whether Farinella was addressing Aaliyah’s age or Kelly’s relationship with the “Rock The Boat” singer.
“Are they not going to dispute that at the time Jane Doe 1 was 13 to 15 years old?” Federal prosecutor Elizabeth Geddes asked the court. Farinella said that they “do dispute” these allegations before adding that the legal team was not “prepared to concede that right now.”
The report adds that another one of Kelly’s attorneys requested free court transcripts since the singer’s “funds have been depleted.”
We’ll keep you posted on any more updates regarding the case.