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Artist News Legal
R Kelly jury will hear about other alleged crimes in New York trial
By Andy Malt | Published on Thursday 5 August 2021
The judge overseeing R Kelly’s sexual abuse trial in New York has ruled that the prosecution can present evidence in court in relation to other alleged crimes for which he has not been charged. This will include testimony surrounding the musician’s marriage to Aaliyah when she was just fifteen years old.
One of three prosecutions pending in relation to the numerous allegations of sexual abuse that have been made against Kelly, the New York case currently centres on allegations made by six women and girls. However, last month prosecutors filed a motion asking the court to also hear testimonies from more than twelve other people, which the lawyers say are relevant to the alleged crimes for which they are hoping to secure a conviction.
The defence argued that this other evidence had been submitted too late in the day and should not be permitted to be presented to the jury. However, for the most part, the judge said that it could be put forward, with some conditions restricting exactly what can be discussed in the courtroom.
Kelly’s relationship with Aaliyah – who died in a plane crash in 2001 – will be one of the things that is discussed in court. The couple secretly married in 1994, allegedly after Kelly bribed a government official to make a fake ID showing Aaliyah as being eighteen. The marriage was annulled soon afterwards.
The prosecution alleges that Kelly married the singer because he believed that she had fallen pregnant and feared prosecution. Under US law, a wife cannot be forced to testify against her husband. Arguing against allowing this story to be heard by the court, the prosecution said that it risked being “prejudicial”. However, the judge knocked back those concerns, adding, “obviously, with all of these things I’m not going to permit hearsay”.
This and the other new allegations to be presented in court are “directly relevant to and inextricably intertwined with the evidence of the charged crimes”, the prosecution argues. In particular, they will help to present the case that Kelly operated a “criminal enterprise” of managers, bodyguards and other staff who allegedly aided him in finding women and underage girls for sex.
Many of the restrictions placed on these testimonies will protect some personal information about the women who have agreed to speak in court. This includes identifying them only by their first names.
Jury selection in the case is set to begin on Monday.
