A Chicago attorney general said on Monday that she was dropping sexual assault charges against singer R. Kelly after federal convictions in two courtrooms that would doom the R&B star for decades.
Cook County Attorney General, Kim Foxx announced the decision a day before a state indictment hearing at which he was accused of sexually assaulting four people, three of whom were minors. She said she will ask the judge Tuesday to drop the charges.
Foxx, who urged women and girls to come forward in 2019 so she could sue Kelly, acknowledged the decision “could be disappointing” for his accusers.
“Mr. Kelly is potentially looking at the possibility of never walking out of prison again for the crimes that he’s committed,” the prosecutor said, referring to his federal convictions. “While today’s cases are no longer being pursued, we believe justice has been served.”
Since Kelly was indicted in Cook County in 2019, grand juries in Chicago and New York have convicted him of a range of crimes including child pornography, personal grooming, extortion and sex trafficking related to allegations that he sacrificed women and girls.
Born Robert Sylvester Kelly, Kelly is serving a 30-year sentence in the New York case and awaits sentencing on February 23 in a Chicago federal court. He relies on these beliefs. Due to the New York decision alone, the 56-year-old can only be released at the age of about 80.
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Foxx said he contacted Kelly’s attorney two weeks ago to propose that the charges be dropped. I also spoke to the women whose allegations were at the heart of the case.
Fox praised the “courage it took to come forward”.
Kelly’s attorney, Jennifer Bonjean, said she was “pleased” with the prosecution’s decision to drop the charges.
“He has a life to give. So I don’t know how many nice phrases there are,” Bonjean said.
Lanita Carter, who said she was sexually assaulted by R. Kelly, said in February 2003 that she was “very disappointed” by the news.
“I’ve spent almost 20 years waiting for my abuser to be brought to justice for what he did to me. With today’s announcement, all hope of justice in my case has been dashed,” Carter said, adding that he trusts Foxx and his office with his story. and spent four years racking his brains to confront Kelly to no avail.
