R. Kelly faces new sexual abuse charges ahead of April trial
In addition to being charged in Chicago, Kelly has also been indicted in Brooklyn and Minnesota
R. Kelly already has a lot to worry about ahead of his April trial in Chicago and now he has been hit with even more charges of sexual abuse.
According to Complex, Kelly is facing a whole new indictment that will include more sexual abuse allegations. This indictment, which was filed on Thursday, will add a new victim to the case while removing another. These new developments have the possibility of delaying the Chicago trial as the now-disgraced singer is set to appear in an arraignment at the Dirksen Federal Courthouse in Chicago.
In addition to being charged in Chicago, Kelly has also been indicted in Brooklyn and Minnesota. He is facing charges that range from child pornography, obstruction of justice, and racketeering; he has also been accused of getting a fake ID so that he can marry the late singer Aaliyah, who was 15 at the time they were married, while Kelly was 27, which was added after his New York case was revised.
Next month, Kelly’s lawyers will have the chance to see the names of the accusers added to the New York case during the revisions. In January, a judge ruled that there was substantiated claims that Kelly would interfere with the case from jail, Complex reported. So his legal team will not be allowed to see the name of the new accusers until right before his trial.
READ MORE: R. Kelly charged with bribing official for fake ID to marry Aaliyah when she was 15
Kelly has been locked up in a Chicago prison since July and recently prison staff has come under scrutiny for allowing him to make an “off the record” phone call, according to Complex. The staff has been accused of circumventing “the protocols in place to ensure monitoring of the defendant’s communications.” In addition to problems with phone calls, Kelly has also been accused of smuggling a letter.
Following Kelly’s Chicago trial, his New York trial is set for July.
