On the second day of the trial against the former pop star R. Kelly, a witness speaks about her relationship as a 16-year-old to the then 42-year-old. She wants to portray his defense as a liar.
New York – On the second day of the abuse trial against R. Kelly (54, “The World’s Greatest”), an alleged victim explained details of his relationship with the former pop superstar.
According to her, the woman had a relationship with the musician for half a year in 2009. She was only 14 years old when she met him and 16 years old when they had sex for the first time.
“He wanted me to wear a ponytail and disguise myself like a girl scout,” said the witness, according to the US media, in court in New York on Thursday. He is also said to have filmed the sex with her. Prosecutors previously stated that Kelly attempted to put additional pressure on his victims.
Already on Wednesday, the now 28-year-old, according to the “New York Times”, said that Kelly had knocked her unconscious because she had violated his strict rules during one of her visits to Kelly’s home. She had testified to have met Kelly shortly before her 15th birthday at a court case in Chicago, which she had visited again and again as a fan and on the edge of which she got into conversation with the singer. At that time he had to answer for the possession of pictures of serious child sexual abuse, but was acquitted.
A year later, according to her statement, he invited her to his home, reported “Vulture” from the process. She had oral sex with him, but felt uncomfortable afterwards and said that she was only 16 years old. Kelly reportedly told her to pretend to be 19-year-old.
Kelly is this time accused of sexual exploitation of minors, kidnapping and bribery before the court in Brooklyn, New York. The musician, who has been in prison since his arrest in summer 2019, has repeatedly denied all allegations and accused his critics of a character assassination campaign.
Kelly’s defense attorneys described the woman as a liar and a stalker. The New York Daily News quoted the trial as quoted by the New York Daily News that she stated her age to him at 19 years of age and only later admitted to being a minor.
If convicted on all points, the singer faces a prison sentence of ten years to life, as a spokesman for the public prosecutor has said. Prosecutor Maria Cruz Melendez called Kelly in her opening speech on Wednesday, according to media reports, as a “predator” (literally: predator) – a term that is often used in the USA for sex offenders. TV cameras are not allowed in the courtroom. dpa
