Free Republic

R. Kelly dodged an effective life sentence Thursday when a Chicago judge tacked on just one extra year to his 30-year punishment behind bars. The 56-year-old disgraced R&B singer was sentenced in his Illinois case to 20 years in prison — with 19 to run concurrently with his existing, 30-year sentence out of Brooklyn. That means he’ll only serve one extra year behind bars, and would be eligible for release when he is 80 years old.

Illinois Cook County prosecutors have dropped state sex-crime charges against singer Robert Sylvester Kelly, known as R. Kelly. The charges that have been dropped are aggravated criminal sexual assault and aggravated criminal sexual abuse counts involving four accusers, three of them minors. On Monday, County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx said that they are being dropped in part because of the prison sentences he is already facing for his federal convictions. Kelly had been charged in federal courts in New York and Chicago after Foxx’s office filed charges in 2019.

Disgraced R&B star R Kelly has been sentenced to 30 years in federal prison for sex trafficking and abusing young girls as the judge told him that he taught his victims that 'love is enslavement and violence,' and 'the public needs to be protected.' Kelly, 55, was convicted on sex-trafficking and racketeering charges last September following a nearly six-week trial that amplified accusations that had dogged the singer of the Grammy-winning hit 'I Believe I Can Fly' since the early 2000s. Judge Ann M. Donnelly handed down Kelly's sentence in Brooklyn Federal Court on Wednesday, despite the defense lawyers' request...

NEW YORK (AP) — Disgraced R&B superstar R. Kelly was sentenced Wednesday to 30 years in prison for using his fame to sexually abuse young fans, including some who were just children, in a systematic scheme that went on for decades. Through tears and anger, several of Kelly’s accusers told a court, and the singer himself, that he had preyed on them and misled his fans. “You made me do things that broke my spirit. I literally wished I would die because of how low you made me feel,” said one unnamed survivor, directly addressing a Kelly who kept his...

Bill Cosby he believes disgraced singer R Kelly was 'railroaded' during his sex trafficking trial, according to his rep. The comedian blamed racism for Kelly's conviction on several counts on Monday, and said any appeal the singer made would likely be successful. In an interview with the New York Post, Cosby's spokesman Andrew Wyatt said the 84-year-old felt Kelly 'got railroaded' and 'wasn't going to catch a break' in his month-long trial. 'The deck was stacked against Robert,' Wyatt told the paper, using Kelly's first name. The Cosby rep also criticised lawyer Gloria Allred who represented victims in both Kelly...

After a weeks-long trial, R&B Singer R. Kelly has been found to be an evil abuser, guilty of the crimes of racketeering and sex trafficking while failing to be the son of the President. "Living the Hunter Biden lifestyle while failing to be Hunter Biden is a very serious offense," said prosecutors to the media. "We are seeking the maximum sentence of life in prison for this horrific crime." According to legal experts, you should always make sure you are the white, wealthy son of a U.S. President before engaging in sex trafficking and racketeering. Since R. Kelly callously failed...

A House Democrat said R. Kelly has an opportunity to "be redeemed" after the singer was found guilty on Monday of racketeering and sex-trafficking charges. "Kelly has been accused of criminal acts, gone through a court of law, been convicted, and must serve whatever time the court decides," Rep. Danny Davis of Illinois told TMZ. The congressman added that he is "a law-and-order policymaker" and that "women and children must be respected and protected at all times and at all costs." SNIP “I’m a big believer in what is called second chances,” Davis said. The congressman said he hoped Kelly...

R. Kelly was found guilty Monday of sexually abusing women, boys and girls for decades — capping the ’90s R&B superstar’s stunning fall from grace. The “I Believe I Can Fly” crooner, 54, was convicted on all nine counts including racketeering and violations of the Mann Act, which prohibits the transport of “any woman or girl” across state lines for any “immoral purpose.” He faces life in prison. The jury of seven men and five women deliberated for about nine hours across two days before reaching their unanimous verdict. From the beginning of the month-long trial in the federal courthouse...

The trial of the US R&B singer R. Kelly has begun at a court in Brooklyn, New York. The star is accused of racketeering, sexual abuse and bribery; charges which he has repeatedly denied. Some of the allegations made against the singer - whose full name is Robert Sylvester Kelly - date back more than 20 years. If he is convicted on all counts he could be sentenced to several decades in prison. Opening statements are being delivered to a jury of seven men and five women, who will decide the 54-year-old singer's fate. Kelly faces charges that he was...

R. Kelly was attacked by another inmate at a federal jail in Chicago, lawyers for the singer said Thursday. The 53-year-old, born Robert Sylvester Kelly, was on his bed at Chicago's Metropolitan Correctional Center on Tuesday night when another inmate approached him and began to punch him, Doug Anton, an attorney for Kelly, said. Anton said guards quickly stopped the attack and Kelly did not sustain injuries and X-rays revealed no fractures. Lawyer Mike Leonard, however, said that Kelly sustained "very minor bruising" following the attack. Another Kelly attorney, Steve Greenberg, said his legal team received "conflicting reports as to...

The New York Times reporting tonight that six Saudi nationals have been detained for questioning in Pensacola, Florida. This after a Saudi aviaton student..... 12 anti-government protesters killed and dozens of others wounded late Friday night in Baghdad..... The second day of the national strike in France.... The British Labor Party leader Jeremy Corbyn says that contrary to Prime Minister Boris Johnson's assertion of no border withe Ireland in his Brexit plan, there will be a hard border...... White House counsel Pat Cipollone telling the House Judiciary Committee there will be no participation in impeachment proceedings next week..... The US...

Updated: August 05, 2019 12:43 PM Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman said charges against a "national celebrity" will be announced Monday afternoon. The attorney's office sent out a release stating the press conference will take place at 2 p.m. at the Hennepin County Government Center. There are no other details regarding the charges or the person being charged.

"Jailed for Journalism" Tommy Robinson's t-shirt read as he headed into court Thursday morning at the Old Bailey in London for sentencing.... In France quadriplegic patient Vincent Lambert died Thursday some nine days after the process of his killing began..... President Trump made it official Thursday saying he is backing down from trying to add a citizenship question to the 2020 census..... A bill passed the US House this week with bipartisan support to enable people from India to work in the tech industry on H1B visas..... Around Washington House Speaker Nancy Pelosi talking about the on again off again...

The 52-year-old was arrested by NYPD detectives and Homeland Security Investigators on sex trafficking charges Singer R. Kelly has been arrested in Chicago on federal sex crime charges, according to two law enforcement officials. The 52-year-old was arrested Homeland Security Investigation agents and NYPD detectives Thursday night on sex trafficking charges, officials tell News 4, and it is expected he will be brought to New York. Further details on the case are expected to be announced Friday. Spokespeople from the NYPD and Homeland Security Investigations declined to comment on the arrest. Calls to the U.S. attorney in Brooklyn were not...

R. Kelly was charged Thursday with 11 fresh counts of sex assault in Illinois — charges that carry a mandatory minimum of six years in prison. Four of the new charges, aggravated criminal sexual assault, are felony “Class X” counts, which are the most serious in Illinois, outside of first-degree murder, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. They carry a mandatory sentence of six to 30 years. In February, the embattled “Ignition” singer was charged with 10 counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse involving four victims, three of whom were underage.

Recently, R. Kelly appeared in a BBC interview with Prophet Muhammad. Shortly after the program aired, R. Kelly requested permission to travel to the Middle East for some concert performances. Coincidence? David Wood discusses the issue.

HIPHOPDX – This week in Hip Hop, Jussie Smollett was indicted on 16 felony counts. Also, R. Kelly sat down with Gayle King for an interview on CBS and opened up about the sexual abuse and misconduct allegations against him. Lastly, a radio ban was placed on Michael Jackson‘s music following HBO’s Leaving Neverland documentary.

It is both harrowing and infinitely sad to see "Leaving Neverland" and "Surviving R. Kelly,"  two cable television documentaries about the crime of child sexual abuse, its perpetrators and victims. R. Kelly currently sits in a Chicago jail cell for failure to pay child support, while at the same time, years of allegations about his sexual abuse of underage girls, have finally caught up with him. The R&B star says he is unfairly accused and that his career has been ruined by the allegations. "Leaving Neverland" aired last week, profiling two men who say Michael Jackson sexually abused them when...

Good Morning. At the top of the Newsdump. The total number of US soldiers remaining in Syria was increased to 400 on Friday. After the initial announcement by the White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders Thursday, the media was told 200. But on Friday the number was increased in the information parcelled out to the media..... Two were killed and other wounded Friday when forces loyal to Nicolas Maduro opened fire on civilians trying to keep the border with Brazil open after he ordered it shut down to prevent humanitarian aid coming across. Interim President Juan Guaido made it across...

R KELLY is facing possible charges after he was allegedly filmed having sex with a 14-year-old girl in a video tape now in the hands of US prosecutors, it's been claimed. A grand jury has reportedly been convened in Chicago to look at potential criminal charges that could now be filed against the fallen star for sexual misconduct.