R. Kelly’s appeal against 30-year prison sentence has been denied

WARNING: This article includes accounts of sex crimes and may be distressing for some readers. Resources for support are listed at the end of this article

R. Kelly’s appeal of his federal racketeering and sex trafficking conviction, and the 30-year prison sentence it carried, has been denied.

He was found guilty of the charges in 2021 by a jury in Brooklyn, New York, following a six-week trial and testimonies from 11 accusers.

In 2022 it was revealed he was seeking a retrial, and in 2023 he formally appealed the conviction.

This week, on February, the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit upheld the conviction.

“We have considered all the arguments presented by Kelly on appeal and concluded they are without merit,” states the court’s decision.

“Enabled by a constellation of managers, assistants, and other staff for over twenty-five years, Kelly exploited his fame to lure girls and young women into his grasp.

“Evidence at trial showed that he would isolate them from friends and family, control nearly every aspect of their lives, and abuse them verbally, physically, and sexually,” it adds.

R. Kelly’s attorney, Jennifer Bonjean, has criticised the ruling as “unprecedented” and described the invocation of the racketeering law by prosecutors as “absurdly remote” in relation to R. Kelly’s case, in a statement made to AP. She believes the Supreme Court will agree to hear an appeal.

Last year, the disgraced R&B singer was also given a 20-year sentence for convictions of child sex crimes and indecent images of minors.

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