After nine hours of deliberations spread over two days in a Brooklyn court, a jury has found R. Kelly guilty on nine counts of racketeering and sex trafficking charges. He now awaits sentencing and faces possibly decades in prison, the New York Times reports.
The trial, which began over a month ago, saw Kelly facing federal counts of violations related to child pornography, kidnapping and forced labour, in addition to his racketeering and sex trafficking charges. The disgraced musician has denied all allegations and pleaded not guilty.
This marks Kelly's first criminal charge in relation to decades of suspicions and accusations regarding sexual misconduct against young women and girls.
During closing statements last week, federal prosecutor Elizabeth Geddes characterized Kelly as a predator whose "lies, manipulation, threats and physical abuse" were used to dominate his victims.
"For many years, what happened in the defendant's world stayed in the defendant's world," Geddes said, according to the Times. "But no longer."
Kelly will be sentenced on May 4, 2022.
He is due back in court over two other cases: one in Illinois for child pornography and obstruction, and another in Minnesota for a child prostitution charge.
The trial, which began over a month ago, saw Kelly facing federal counts of violations related to child pornography, kidnapping and forced labour, in addition to his racketeering and sex trafficking charges. The disgraced musician has denied all allegations and pleaded not guilty.
This marks Kelly's first criminal charge in relation to decades of suspicions and accusations regarding sexual misconduct against young women and girls.
During closing statements last week, federal prosecutor Elizabeth Geddes characterized Kelly as a predator whose "lies, manipulation, threats and physical abuse" were used to dominate his victims.
"For many years, what happened in the defendant's world stayed in the defendant's world," Geddes said, according to the Times. "But no longer."
Kelly will be sentenced on May 4, 2022.
He is due back in court over two other cases: one in Illinois for child pornography and obstruction, and another in Minnesota for a child prostitution charge.
