by A federal judge is set to sentence singer R. Kelly for his child pornography and seduction convictions in Chicago
CHICAGO — R. Kelly will be sentenced by a federal judge on his convictions in Chicago on child pornography and solicitation of minors for sex on Thursday, when the 56-year-old singer will find out if he will have to spend the rest of his life spend behind bars or he will have it. some hope to get out alive.
The central question for the judge at the hearing in Kelly’s hometown of Chicago is whether to accept a request by prosecutors to order Kelly to serve a new sentence until he completes his 30-year term imposed last year in New York because of racketeering and sex trafficking.
A sentence Kelly must serve consecutively is equivalent to a life sentence.
Prosecutors concede that a long term imposed after the New York sentence would destroy any chance Kelly would leave prison alive. They say the Grammy Award winner committed crimes against children and his lack of remorse.
They recommend a sentence of 25 years to be served consecutively. That would make him eligible for release in 2066, a year shy of his 100th birthday. The defense is seeking a sentence of approximately 10 years, to be served concurrently.
If the judge allows Kelly to serve his new sentence at the same time as the New York sentence, he will serve no more than 30 years and should be eligible for release at around age 80 – giving him hope to one day regain his life outside prison.
Jurors in Chicago convicted Kelly last year on six of 13 counts – three counts of producing child pornography and three counts of soliciting minors for sex. Kelly was acquitted of the marquee count, alleging that he rigged his 2008 state child pornography trial.
Kelly rose from poverty in Chicago to become one of the RR& B stars. Known for his smash hit “I Believe I Can Fly” and sexually charged songs like “Bump n’ Grind,” he sold millions of albums even as allegations of his abuse of girls began to surface. circulated publicly in the 1990s.
In filings, prosecutors described Kelly as a “serial sexual predator” who used his fame and wealth to lure star-struck fans into sexually abusing them and then killing them. throw out
Kelly’s lawyer, Jennifer Bonjean, accused prosecutors of offering a “fancy narrative” regarding Kelly and asked the judge to join the government’s “bloodthirsty campaign to make Kelly a symbol of the movement # MeToo.”
Bonjean said Kelly suffered a lot, including financially. She said its value once topped $1 billion, but is now “at risk”.
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Find more AP coverage of the R. Kelly trials at https://apnews.com/hub/r-kelly
