Attorney Michael Avenatti turned over to authorities in Chicago a new tape showing R. Kelly allegedly committing sex acts with a teenager on Thursday.
On Friday, attorney Gloria Allred announced the teen girl depicted in the tape may be a client of her’s. According to USA Today, Allred said she is speaking out because the tape was leaked to CNN, which reported graphic details Thursday of what is depicted on the 45-minute tape.
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“The details that CNN reported about what is on the tape that has allegedly been turned over to Chicago law enforcement is of great concern to me, because the person who is described as a 14-year-old alleged victim on the tape may be one of my clients,” Allred said. “I am very troubled that this tape has been viewed by the press and by other persons who are not law enforcement,”
“I plan to take all appropriate steps as soon as possible to confirm if one of my clients is on this reported tape, and if she is portrayed on the tape we will do everything legally possible to protect her and her rights,” she added. Allred represents numerous women who claim to have been sexually assaulted by Kelly.
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Avenatti, in an odd twist, denied that the unnamed girls in the video are clients of Allred’s.
“We have no reason to believe that any of Ms. Allred’s clients are on the video and we do not know why she would think any of them are,” he tweeted. “She has never inquired of anyone on our team as to the issue or any other related to the case. To the best of our knowledge, it is not her client.”
We have no reason to believe that any of Ms. Allred’s clients are on the video and we do not know why she would think any of them are. She has never inquired of anyone on our team as to the issue or any other related to the case. To the best of our knowledge, it is not her client
— Michael Avenatti (@MichaelAvenatti) February 15, 2019
Avenatti, on Thursday, would not say where he got the tape and said that it dates back to the late 1990s. He also denied leaking it to CNN.
He said the two girls depicted in the tape are clear and the man appears to be Kelly. He also said that in the tape, the girl clearly states on the tape that she is 14, two years younger than the state’s age of consent. He said the time frame of the sex acts depicted in the tape are within the Illinois statute of limitations.
Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx has neither confirmed nor denied that her office is investigating Kelly nor do they have the tape.