R. Kelly’s ex-wife, Drea Kelly, has spoken out following the disgraced singer’s guilty conviction during his sex trafficking and racketeering trial, explaining how heartbroken she is for her children.
The singer was found guilty of all nine counts on Monday, facing up to 100 years in prison. His ex-wife spoke out following his conviction, talking to Good Morning Britain on Tuesday morning.
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“I feel that my heart is in two places,” she said after yesterday’s verdict. “My heart definitely goes out to the survivors and the courage that it takes to come forward and tell the story, but my heart breaks as a mother because this is now the legacy that my children will have to deal with and their children’s children.
At the end of the day, you cannot walk away from your bloodline. I have the ability to separate and distance myself from it, but his blood runs through my children’s veins and it’s part of their DNA and they couldn’t escape it even if they wanted to. So it’s very difficult for me to sit in that position.”
R. Kelly is expected to be sentenced next year, on May 4, 2022.
“I can only speak of my journey as his ex-wife and a survivor and an advocate, but I think that goes for any child,” continued Drea. “It doesn’t matter if your parents have a problem with drug addiction – you are still going to love them because they are a part of your DNA, you share blood with them. I also support my children in whatever they feel because at the end of the day, whether he ever sold another song, found guilty or not guilty, what is true and what will always be true is that it’s their father, so they have the right to feel whatever they feel.”
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Drea married R. Kelly in 1996. She was his backup dancer. They have three children together.