Content Warning: This article discusses sexual assault, and rape. If you or someone you know are affected by the following story, you are not alone. To speak to someone, you can call Lifeline on 13 11 14, or 1800 RESPECT on 1800 737 732.
Disgraced musician R. Kelly has been forced to spend a second night in jail. Kelly failed to make the $100,000 bail needed to secure his release. According to R. Kelly’s lawyer, the musician “really doesn’t have any money.”
Kelly turned himself in to police on Friday after being indicted on 10 counts of criminal sex abuse by a grand jury in Chicago. The charges relate to Kelly’s sexual interactions with four victims, three of which were minors aged between 13-16. With Kelly’s first record of abuse commencing in 1996. Each charge against Kelly carries a sentence of three to seven years in prison, meaning he could face up to 70 years if convicted.
Kelly is required to post $100,000 ($A140,000). However, his lawyer Steven Greenberg claims that he is broke due to mismanagement and bad contracts.
“This is someone who should be wealthy at this point in his career, but through mismanagement he really doesn’t have any money at this point,” Greenberg shared at the bond hearing. “I don’t think he even owns the rights to, ‘I Believe I Can Fly.’”
Last week, Greenberg made a statement dismissing the charges against the singer, claiming that witnesses had fabricated their allegations.
“I think all the women are lying, yes,” Greenberg explained to reporters. “This has become, ‘Hey, R. Kelly – I can say R. Kelly did something’ – boom.”
“There was a press conference yesterday, ‘Oh, these two girls were assaulted by R Kelly!’ And the lawyer stood there with a picture of LL Cool J!”
Kelly’s abuse allegations have been public knowledge for years. It is worth noting that the case against him picked up steam early this year, following the release of the Lifetime documentary Surviving R. Kelly. The exposing documentary detailed many of the accusations made against the artist. Delving into the “sex cult” from his Chicago home, his physical abuse of women and accusations of sexual activity with minors.
Kelly was dropped from Sony Music shortly after the documentary debuted.
