R. Kelly's 30-year prison sentence upheld as federal court rejects his appeal

Kelly's efforts to overturn his 30-year prison sentence have failed after a US federal appeals court upheld his convictions for racketeering and sex trafficking.

The ruling, issued by the 2nd US Circuit Court of Appeals in Manhattan, reaffirmed that the disgraced R&B star used his fame for over 25 years to abuse young women and girls.

The Grammy-winning artist, known for hits such as ‘I Believe I Can Fly’ and ‘Trapped in the Closet’, was convicted in 2021 in a Brooklyn federal court.

His charges included racketeering and multiple violations of sex trafficking laws.

Prosecutors successfully argued that Kelly operated a long-running criminal enterprise that enabled his sexual abuse of underage victims.

Kelly’s legal team, led by attorney Jennifer Bonjean, challenged the convictions on multiple grounds. They claimed that the trial evidence was insufficient, some state laws used against him were unconstitutional, and four jurors were biased.

They also argued that the racketeering charge, typically applied in organised crime cases, was misused.

The appeals court dismissed these arguments, stating that Kelly’s use of managers, assistants, and other staff to lure and isolate victims demonstrated a criminal pattern that justified the racketeering charge.

“Enabled by a constellation of managers, assistants, and other staff for over twenty-five years, Kelly exploited his fame to lure girls and young women into his grasp,” the court wrote.

Evidence at trial showed that he controlled nearly every aspect of his victims’ lives, isolating them from their families and subjecting them to verbal, physical, and sexual abuse.

The court also ruled that testimony from victims who received herpes from Kelly without prior disclosure was relevant and not unfairly prejudicial.

Additionally, it defended the decision to allow jurors to watch explicit videos presented as evidence.

“The videos were properly admitted to show the means and methods of the enterprise, including the level of control and dominance Kelly had over his victims,” the three-judge panel stated.

One of Kelly’s victims, known as Angela, directly addressed him in court, condemning his actions.

“With every addition of a new victim, you grew in wickedness. You used your fame and power to groom and coach underage boys and girls for your own sexual gratification. Today we reclaim our names. We are no longer the preyed-upon individuals we once were. I pray that God reaches your soul,” she said.

Bonjean criticised the ruling, calling it “unprecedented” and arguing that it gives prosecutors too much power in applying racketeering laws. She signalled intentions to take the case to the US Supreme Court.

Last year, the Supreme Court declined to hear an appeal regarding Kelly’s separate 20-year sentence in Chicago, where he was convicted of child sex offences, including producing images of child sexual abuse.

Kelly, born Robert Sylvester Kelly, was once one of R&B’s biggest stars, selling millions of records despite longstanding allegations of sexual misconduct dating back to the 1990s.

He was acquitted of child sexual abuse image charges in 2008, but his legal troubles resurfaced following the #MeToo movement and the release of the Surviving R. Kelly documentary.

 In 2021, Kelly was convicted on all counts after a six-week trial featuring testimony from 45 witnesses. The case drew widespread public condemnation and marked a dramatic fall from grace for the once-celebrated musician.