Prosecutors Hope to Include a New Abuse Claim in the R. Kelly Trial
Ahead of R. Kelly’s Brooklyn trial on federal sex trafficking and racketeering charges, prosecutors are seeking to admit additional evidence — but not charges — of sexual abuse against the singer, as well accusations of bribery and witness tampering.
In documents filed Friday prior the trial’s scheduled August 9th start date for jury selection, federal prosecutors stated they have evidence of “uncharged acts” including the alleged sexual abuse of a 17-year-old male who met Kelly while the minor worked at a McDonald’s in December 2006.
Prosecutors stated that Kelly later invited the aspiring singer to his Chicago studio and, according to the Associated Press, asked the 17-year-old male what he would do to make it in the music business. Kelly propositioned and had sexual contact with the teen while he was still underage, prosecutors alleged. The teen also offered to reach out — with Kelly’s approval — to a friend he claimed he had on the jury of Kelly’s child pornography trial in 2008, but prosecutors didn’t say whether contact was made.
