R. Kelly: Prosecutors Seek to Include New Claims of Sexual Abuse, Bribery at Brooklyn Trial
Ahead of R. Kelly’s Brooklyn trial on federal sex trafficking and racketeering charges, prosecutors are seeking to admit additional evidence — but not charges — of sexual abuse against the singer, as well accusations of bribery and witness tampering.
In documents filed Friday prior the trial’s scheduled August 9th start date for jury selection, federal prosecutors stated they have evidence of “uncharged acts” including the alleged sexual abuse of a 17-year-old male who met Kelly while the minor worked at a McDonald’s in December 2006.
Prosecutors stated that Kelly later invited the aspiring singer to his Chicago studio and, according to the Associated Press, asked the 17-year-old male what he would do to make it in the music business. Kelly propositioned and had sexual contact with the teen while he was still underage, prosecutors alleged. The teen also offered to reach out — with Kelly’s approval — to a friend he claimed he had on the jury of Kelly’s child pornography trial in 2008, but prosecutors didn’t say whether contact was made.
That teen later introduced Kelly to a similarly underaged male friend, with Kelly and the friend having a sexual relationship a few years later, the documents said.
If permitted by the judge, these victims would serve as witnesses during the Brooklyn trial. Additionally, prosecutors are hoping to show evidence uncovered from the hundreds of seized cell phones and iPads — which included Kelly-filmed video footage of some his sexual abuse victims — to underline “the physical and psychological abuse Kelly employed to maintain control over women and girls with whom he was engaged in sexual relationships and Kelly’s regular use of audio and video recordings to maintain control.”
According to CNN, prosecutors also seek to enter evidence of Kelly’s racketeering enterprise, including an accusation that Kelly and his “crisis manager” had a conversation about bribing a Cook County clerk in order to obtain information about the looming criminal case against the singer.
Earlier this month, Kelly reshuffled his legal team and dismissed his longtime lawyer as the singer readies to face federal charges in both Brooklyn and Chicago, as well as state criminal charges in Chicago.
