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During a press conference in New York City on Thursday, two new women have come forward accusing R&B singer Robert Sylvester Kelly otherwise known as R.Kelly of sexual misconduct. Telling their stories publicly for the first time, Latresa Scaff, 40 and Rochelle Washington, 39 are meeting with the law enforcement today to tell their stories of alleged sexual abuse from over 20 years ago.
The women say they were 16 and 15 years old (respectively) at the time.
Introduced by their attorney, Gloria Allred, who called Kelly a “sexual predator,” Scaff spoke first, reading from a prepared statement, and told in great detail the story of how she and friend, Washington, met Kelly after a concert in 1995.
In her story, Scaff says that security hand picked them from the crowd at the Baltimore Arena and asked them to come on stage. The two, who are from Baltimore, say they were invited to an after party with Kelly and then to his hotel suite. When they arrived at the hotel, a producer or manager paid for their taxi and they both went to the hotel suite thinking there would be another party.
When in the hotel suite, Scaff says that she and Washington called a local radio station in excitement that they would be meeting Kelly momentarily. Soon after, according to her statement, Staff said someone one Kelly’s staff came in and asked she and Washington to take off their dresses where Kelly entered wearing a white shirt and jeans and having his penis exposed outside of his pants.
She says she was under the influence of marijuana and alcohol at the time. In her statement, Scaff recounts that Kelly wanted the two women to engage in sex with him on the bed, but that Washington refused and retreated into the bathroom. While Washington was out the room, Scaff says she then performed oral sex on Kelly. Scaff said she did not have the capacity to consent when Kelly had sex with her and that he left the room soon after. She says neither she nor Washington have seen or heard from him since.
“I’m coming forward now because I felt this is the right thing to do,” said Scaff. “Im speaking out because I want to encourage other victims who I know must be other there to come forward as well.”
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Soon after, Washington began to speak about why the two are coming forward now with their story, recounting that she was excited to meet Kelly in 1995, but even after all these years and now as a mother, she sees that she was violated as a teenager.
“I want justice for anyone who was hurt or violated. I want victims to know it’s not their fault,” said Washington. “I want to send a message to anyone who believes she was a victims of R. Kelly’s.”
Washington encouraged other women who believe they have been victimized by Kelly to reach out to Allred.
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“While R. Kelly has rocketed to fame and fortune, he has used his celebrity status to victimize countless young women who were afraid to speak out until now,” said Allred.
Speaking to the 52-year old singer directly, Allred said, “you have no where to run and no where to hide.”
It took a heavy toll on me to come here today,” said Scaff. “I’m here today after seeing other victims along the way and more. I feel like I need to be here to tell what happened to me because of all the other victims that were affected as well. That is why I am here.”
The case against R. Kelly
According to Rolling Stone, a judge decided to place a strict curfew on the building that houses the R. Kelly’s recording studio. The singer believes that the new restriction will upset his “creativity.”
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The property was featured in the Lifetime docuseries, Surviving R. Kelly, in January. It allegedly is where some of the abuse of some of the alleged victims endured at the hands of Kelly took place. Ever since the doc, the studio has come under heavy scrutiny by Chicago authorities.
A Chicago judge issued 66 building violations to Kelly prior to this decision due to the singer turning the building into illegal living space with amenities such as a kitchen, bar room, sauna, along with the recording studio. Not to mention, some of the space in the building was restricted.
Amidst the ongoing controversy with the studio space, R. Kelly could soon possibly face new charges after attorney, Michael Avenatti, turned over a recent sex tape to the Cook County prosecutor’s office.
