R Kelly's Child Pornography Conviction & Sentence Upheld In Chicago Court

BYCaroline Fisher1085 Views
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R Kelly Returns To Court For Hearing On Aggravated Sexual Abuse Charges
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - JUNE 26: R&B singer R. Kelly leaves the Leighton Criminal Courts Building following a hearing on June 26, 2019 in Chicago, Illinois. Prosecutors turned over to Kelly's defense team a DVD that alleges to show Kelly having sex with an underage girl in the 1990s. Kelly has been charged with multiple sex crimes involving four women, three of whom were underage at the time of the alleged encounters. (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images)

The court emphasized the "horrible, horrific" nature of his alleged crimes.

In February of last year, R Kelly was sentenced to 20 years behind bars for alleged sex crimes involving minors. 19 of the years were to be served concurrent with the sentence he was already serving. The year prior, he was handed 30 years for a federal racketeering conviction in New York. He's since tried to appeal his conviction and 20-year sentence in Chicago, appearing in court today to learn his fate.

The 7th Circuit Court of Appeals shot down the appeal, upholding both his child pornography conviction and sentence. The news comes after the performer's defense argued that the statute of limitations had passed in an attempt to get the conviction dropped. Clearly, the court wasn't buying it, highlighting the "horrible, horrific" nature of his alleged crimes.

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R Kelly To Remain Behind Bars

Singer R. Kelly appears during a hearing at the Leighton Criminal Courthouse on September 17, 2019 in Chicago, Illinois. Kelly is facing multiple sexual assault charges and is being held without bail. (Photo by Antonio Perez - Pool via Getty Images)

The court also referred to his 30-year sentence for alleged racketeering out of New York as the "elephant in the room," claiming that the alleged child pornography sentence was determined with it in mind. Kelly's currently in the process of appealing his New York conviction. If he wins the appeal, this likely means that he'll still serve the remaining 18 years of his sentence out of Chicago.

"Our fight is not over," R Kelly's lawyer Jennifer Bonjean told TMZ following the decision. "We will see review from the USSC (SCOTUS) on the statute of limitations questions at a minimum. And he has habeas remedies at his disposal. And if we win in NY. He will be entitled to resentencing in Illinois. So this story is far from over." What do you think of R Kelly's conviction being upheld? Share your thoughts in the comments section down below, and keep an eye on HNHH for more updates.

Read More: R. Kelly Slams Diddy Sex Trafficking Investigation From Prison: "I Know What They Did"

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About The Author
Caroline Fisher is a News Writer at HotNewHipHop from Chicago, Illinois. She started at HNHH this year, and has since spent her time writing about all that is newsworthy in the world of hip-hop. With a drive for hunting down the hottest stories, she enjoys documenting new developments in culture and entertainment. She also has an appreciation for hip-hop and seeks to cover the most important trends and shifts. She has a Bachelor of Arts which she received at the University of Illinois at Chicago. Having graduated in 2022, she majored in English with a concentration in Media, Rhetoric and Cultural Studies. Specializing all things music, pop culture and entertainment, some of her favorite musical artists include Snoop Dogg, OutKast, and Nicki Minaj. When she’s not writing about music she’s also a fan of attending shows, watching the latest movies, staying up-to-date with current events, photography, and poetry.