This afternoon, Robert Sylvester Kelly was convicted of racketeering and violating the Mann Act eight times. As a result, Kelly faces up to 100 years in prison for the various crimes he has been convicted of. Shortly after the verdict was read, several of the attorneys representing the survivors that Kelly has harmed delivered statements to the press.
“Today’s guilty verdict forever brands R. Kelly as a predator who used his fame and fortune to prey on the young and vulnerable,” acting U.S. Attorney Jacquelyn Kasulis said in a press conference on September 27.
“No one deserves what they experienced at his hands or the threats and harassment they faced in telling the truth about what happened to them,” Kasulis added.
Not only did attorneys did weigh in on Kelly’s verdict, but many public figures did as well.
“R. Kelly survivors have endured so much and this verdict won’t end the pain but it does matter,” former New York mayoral candidate Maya Wiley tweeted.
“Finally. R Kelly [was] found guilty of racketeering, ‘of being the ringleader of a decades-long scheme to recruit women and underage girls for sex,'” Oscars So White Creator April Reign added.
Kelly will remain in custody at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, New York as he awaits sentencing. In the near future, the Chicago native will also be tried on federal child pornography and obstruction of justice charges in Illinois. Not to mention, he faces charges of sexual violence at the state level in Illinois as well.
Reading about Black trauma can have an impact on your mental health. If you or someone you know need immediate mental health help, text “STRENGTH” to the Crisis Text Line at 741-741 to be connected to a certified crisis counselor. These additional resources are also available:
The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 1-800-273-8255
The National Alliance on Mental Illness 1-800-950-6264
The Association of Black Psychologists 1-301-449-3082
The Anxiety and Depression Association of America 1-240-485-1001
For more mental health resources, click HERE.
Get the latest news 24/7 on The Black Information Network. Listen now on the iHeartRadio app or click HERE to tune in live.
