R. Kelly Case: Judge Grants Protective Order Over Evidence

R. Kelly's judge orders lawyers to refrain from talking about evidence out of the rapper's fears of being “tried in the public domain,

BYAron A.
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R. Kelly's facing some serious charges that could put him behind bars for the remainder of his days if convicted. The singer was hit with federal charges in connection to the sexual assault allegations that have hovered his career for the majority of it. Kells continues to maintain his innocence in the case. But Kelly's already been found guilty in the court of public opinion. In order to prevent being “tried in the public domain," the judge on the case has granted a protective order on evidence in the case, Chicago Tribune reports. 

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Attorneys on both sides of the R. Kelly case have been ordered to refrain from detailing evidence in the case. Prosecutors of the case told the court for the first time that said many of the alleged victims never came forward with the exception of one listed in the indictment who was included in Surviving R. Kelly. “The vast majority of our evidence has never seen the light of day,” U.S. Attorney Angel Krull told U.S. District Judge Harry Leinenweber.

The protective order, however, does make it difficult for Kelly and his two co-defendants from trying to shut down any public statements regarding the allegations from the witnesses or victims. Kelly's lawyer pointed out that he found this problematic, saying, “Anything we do, we are going to be dragged back in (to court)" for any potential violations.


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About The Author
Aron A. is a features editor for HotNewHipHop. Beginning his tenure at HotNewHipHop in July 2017, he has comprehensively documented the biggest stories in the culture over the past few years. Throughout his time, Aron’s helped introduce a number of buzzing up-and-coming artists to our audience, identifying regional trends and highlighting hip-hop from across the globe. As a Canadian-based music journalist, he has also made a concerted effort to put spotlights on artists hailing from North of the border as part of Rise & Grind, the weekly interview series that he created and launched in 2021. Aron also broke a number of stories through his extensive interviews with beloved figures in the culture. These include industry vets (Quality Control co-founder Kevin "Coach K" Lee, Wayno Clark), definitive producers (DJ Paul, Hit-Boy, Zaytoven), cultural disruptors (Soulja Boy), lyrical heavyweights (Pusha T, Styles P, Danny Brown), cultural pioneers (Dapper Dan, Big Daddy Kane), and the next generation of stars (Lil Durk, Latto, Fivio Foreign, Denzel Curry). Aron also penned cover stories with the likes of Rick Ross, Central Cee, Moneybagg Yo, Vince Staples, and Bobby Shmurda.