Chicago Grand Jury Convicts R. Kelly On Federal Child Porn & Sex Abuse
Chicago AP reports Wednesday September 14, 2022, Robert Sylvester Kelly, best known as singer/songwriter R. Kelly was convicted by a grand jury of federal child pornography and sex abuse. Jurors reportedly had several questions for the judge as they worked to agree on various legal statutes of the case. Ultimately, the verdict was handed down after two days and 11 hours of deliberation.
The Chicago federal trial started in August. Over the course of four weeks, jurors heard the testimony of more than 30 witnesses. One juror had a panic attack and had to be excused. The 55-year-old former R&B superstar was found guilty of three counts of child pornography and sex abuse.
But the jury found him not guilty of the conspiracy to obstruct justice charge, where he was accused of fixing his state child porn trial in 2008. He was also acquitted on a fourth child porn count, three counts of conspiring to receive child porn, and two enticement charges. Kelly's longtime business manager Derrell McDavid was accused of conspiring with the singer to rig the 2008 trial. Milton Brown the singer's associate, was accused of receiving child porn. Both men were named as co-defendants in the trial but were acquitted of all charges Wednesday.
So what happens now? The decides how much time R. Kelly is going to get. In the state of Illinois, the conviction of one count of child porn carries a minimum of 10 years. Inmates charged with federal crimes have to serve 85% of their sentence. However, a Judge has the discretion to order that defendants sentenced in separate cases serve their new sentence simultaneously with or after the first term is completed. In New York, the former music star was already serving a 30-year bid after his conviction on racketeering and sex trafficking almost a year ago.