R. Kelly is currently appealing his conviction and 30-year prison sentence for sex trafficking charges.
The former R&B superstar was convicted by a jury in Brooklyn, New York, on all nine charges he faced, including racketeering and violating the Mann Act. His lawyer, Jennifer Bonjean, argued that federal prosecutors did not provide enough evidence to prove that Kelly led a sex trafficking scheme involving underage girls.
During the appeal hearing, the three-judge panel questioned both the defense and the prosecution. The judges seemed skeptical of the defense’s argument that there was no clear evidence of Kelly knowingly engaging in illegal sexual activity with minors.
The prosecution, on the other hand, reiterated testimony from accusers who described repressive conditions imposed by Kelly and his associates.
Kelly, whose full name is Robert Sylvester Kelly, has been at the center of numerous sexual misconduct allegations over the years.
His recent conviction in Brooklyn followed a previous conviction in Chicago for child sex crimes. While the Chicago judge added just one year to Kelly’s sentence, the majority of the time overlaps with his original 30-year term.
Kelly has been behind bars since 2019 and is currently incarcerated at the Butner prison in North Carolina. He will not be eligible for release until 2045, at the age of 78.
The appeal process is ongoing, with Kelly’s legal team raising concerns about the impartiality of the jurors and the handling of evidence during the trial.
