Prosecutors have recommended the Chicago R&B star be sentenced to at least 25 years in prison, while the defense has argued for a sentence of 10 years or less. Kelly, 55, was found guilty of blackmail and other charges last year. During a press conference after the sentencing, Breon Peace, the US attorney for the Eastern District of New York, thanked the women for their presence, saying that “they were heard and believed” and that “justice has finally been done.” “R. Kelly is a predator and as a result of our persecution he will serve a long prison sentence for his crimes,” he said. R. Kelly’s accuser, Azriel Clary, says he “coached” girlfriends before the explosive interview of 2019 09:39 Kelly’s lawyer, Jennifer Bonjean, said she was “obviously devastated” by the sentence, but noted that “it was not a big surprise”. He added that his team plans to appeal. The women’s lawyer, Gloria Allred, called Kelly a “special sexual predator” and applauded the “courageous” women who showed up. “Together they were able to fight his power by becoming the very strong young women themselves,” she told a news conference outside the court on Wednesday. “It was a long journey to justice, but everyone was very brave and sacrificed a lot of time to work together and testify,” he added. A woman who identified herself as Lizzette Martinez said she was 17 years old at the time of her alleged abuse. It is now 45. “I never thought I would be here to see him accountable for the horrible things he did to children,” he said. “I do not know what else to say except that I am grateful.” Another woman, who identified herself as Jovante, said she was 14 when she “met” Kelly. “There was not a day in my life, until now, that I thought this judicial system would work out for black and brown girls,” she said, adding that she was “pleased” and “devastated” by the sentence. The inappropriate behavior of the singer of “I Believe I Can Fly” took a new round of control after a documentary aired in 2019 entitled “Surviving R. Kelly”, in which the accusers spoke honestly about their experiences with him. Some claimed that they had been ordered to sign non-disclosure forms and had received threats and violence. During Wednesday’s trial, the victims took the stand, some in tears, saying Kelly had abused them and misled his fans. Kelly, who had no eye contact with the victims as they made their remarks, looked straight ahead or down with his hands on the defense table. One victim, identified in court as Stephanie, said Kelly had decades of relentless freedom and said she hoped to go to jail for the rest of her life. “You made me do things that broke my spirit; I literally wished I could die because of what you made me feel.” One victim, identified as Angela, said Kelly was “manipulating” millions to believe in his own self-consciousness and removing the voices of his victims. “Today, I and so many of your victims got it back,” he said. “Today, we have sought to be heard; we are no longer prey to individuals.” Allegations that Kelly abused young girls began to circulate in the 1990s. A Chicago court acquitted him in 2008 and Kelly settled the lawsuit. Over the years, information about the late R&B singer Aaliyah also appeared. Witnesses said they were married in matching jogging suits using a fake license stating that she was 18 and not 15. Kelly was then 27. Aaliyah, whose music was produced by Kelly, died in a plane crash in 2001. Kelly, who did not testify at the trial, denied any wrongdoing. He has been in jail without bail since 2019. He continues to face child pornography and obstruction of justice in Chicago. This trial is scheduled to begin in August. Sophie Reardon contributed to the report.
