THE American her star R&B, R. Kellywhere found guilty in September 2021 by her court New York for sexually exploiting young women, men and teenagers, was sentenced on Wednesday (29/6) to 30 years in prison.
The sentence was handed down to the 55-year-old by the federal court in Brooklyn, where his trial took place, nine months ago.
Journalists inside the courtroom said that singer of “I Believe I Can Fly” did not say a single word upon hearing the verdict.
The federal prosecutor’s office had demanded that he be sentenced to at least 25 years in prison because of the “danger” posed by Robert Kelly, such as the singer’s real name, for his victims and for public opinion. He even claimed that he was a “manipulative person who showed no remorse and no respect for the law.”.
In the six weeks of his trial last summer, nine women and two men testified that he had sexually abused them and described the rapes, while claiming that he was forcing them to take drugs and holding them captive.
The victims had described how R Kelly subjected them to perverted and sadistic whims when they were minors, with many saying that he required them to strictly obey rules such as need his permission to eat or go to the toilet, and write “letters of apology” supposedly acquitting him of offenses.
Among his victims who testified was “Angela”, who said that “with each new victim added, your wickedness grew”. On this day of condemnation, “we are claiming our names,” he said. “We are no longer the victims we once were.”
In her testimony, Lizette Martinez said: “Robert, you have ruined the lives of so many people.”
Kelly, who claimed to have been raped when he was eight, was found guilty of all charges: extortion, sexual exploitation of a minor, kidnapping, trafficking, forced labor.
During his trial, he showed no emotion and when his guilt was announced he limited himself to bowing his head and closing his eyes.
Kelly is already being held pending another trial in Chicago in August.
Attorney Gloria Olred, representing three of the plaintiffs, said that today’s decision, a day after Gislin Maxwell was sentenced to 20 years in prison for trafficking minors for sexual exploitation by her boyfriendthe late stockbroker Jeffrey Epstein, should be “an example for celebrities who take advantage of their reputation to turn their fans into prey.”
The artist’s conviction was seen as a victory for victims of sexual violence, especially those who are reluctant to speak out against their abusers for fear of retaliation.
Source: News Beast
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