Connect with us

Celebrity, Food Years Down!

R. Kelly sentenced to 30 years in prison for the alleged federal sex trafficking charges

Never Pork

Published

on

During a hearing on federal sex trafficking charges before U.S. District Judge Ann Donnelly on Wednesday in New York, R. Kelly was given a 30-year jail term. Five years of supervised release and a fine of $100,000 were also part of his punishment.

The Chicago R&B star’s defense team advocated for a sentence of 10 years or less in jail, while prosecutors called for a term of at least 25 years.

Kelly, who is 55 years old, was convicted of racketeering and other charges in 2017.

U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York Breon Peace commended the women who came forward during a press conference after the sentencing, stating that their stories were “heard and believed” and that “justice was finally delivered.”

A long prison term was promised for R. Kelly because of his criminal behavior.

Kelly’s lawyer Jennifer Bonjean said her client “is certainly devastated” by the verdict but that it “didn’t come as a great big surprise.” She also shared that his legal team has stated their intent to appeal.

Gloria Allred, the women’s lawyer, referred to Kelly as a “predator” and praised the “courageous” women who spoke up against him.

At a press conference on Wednesday, she remarked, “Together they were able to fight his power by becoming empowered young women themselves,” she said during a Wednesday press conference outside of the courthouse.

She continued, “It’s been a long journey to justice, but they’ve all been very brave and sacrificing enormous amounts of time to cooperate and to testify,” she later added. 

According to Lizzette Martinez, who called herself by that name, she was 17 years old when the abuse occurred. She’s 45 years old now.

Never in a million years did I imagine I’d be here to witness him being punished for the horrific crimes he committed on children, she added. Not much else comes to mind other than my sincere appreciation.

Another lady, who only gave her name as “Jovante,” said she “encountered” Kelly when she was 14 years old.

She said she was “pleased” and “overwhelmed” by the sentencing, adding, “There wasn’t a day in my life, up until this moment, that I believed this judicial system would come through for Black and Brown girls,” she said, adding that she’s “pleased” and “overwhelmed” by the sentencing.

In 2019, a docuseries called “Surviving R. Kelly” premiered in which accusers spoke openly about their experiences with the “I Believe I Can Fly” singer, bringing renewed attention to his misbehavior. There have been reports of people being threatened with violence and forced to sign nondisclosure agreements.

Victims spoke against Kelly on Wednesday, some in courtroom tears, claiming he preyed on and mistreated them and mislead his admirers. Kelly glanced forward or down with his hands on the defense table and avoided making eye contact with the victims as they spoke.

A victim named Stephanie said in court that Kelly enjoyed decades of unfettered freedom and expressed her desire to see him spend the rest of his life behind bars. “When I think about the things I did because of you, it makes me want to give up the fight. After the way you made me feel, I wanted to die.”

Victim “Angela” claims Kelly “manipulated” millions into believing his version of events and silenced his victims. They “took it back” today, she remarked, referring to the perpetrators, because “so many of your victims” had done so. Our efforts to be heard today mean that we are no longer isolated victims.

In the 1990s, reports surfaced alleging that Kelly had assaulted young women. In 1997, he was sued by a lady who said he sexually battered and harassed her when she was a kid. Later, he was charged with illegal child pornography in connection with another girl. Kelly dropped the case after a Chicago jury acquitted him in 2008.

Evidence concerning the late R&B singer Aaliyah has also emerged. Witnesses claim the couple were married while wearing matching jogging suits and that she lied about her age to get a license stating she was 18. Kelly was 27 at the time. Aaliyah, whose music Kelly produced, died in a plane crash in 2001.

Kelly has denied any misconduct, despite not testifying at the trial.

Since 2019, he has been incarcerated without the possibility of release on bail. He is still being prosecuted in Chicago for child pornography and obstruction of justice. In August, that trial will commence.

What’s Your Take On R. Kelly’s Sentence?

Like, Share, Comment, Tweet it Out!

It’s Your World, You decide!

ISTHATPORKS TAKE:

What do you say about this? There are a few that got caught up in the web of "Mee too" that's what you say. Then you can use Joe Louis's old statement- "you can run but you can't hide". Whether right or wrong it sure feels right here. The alleged victims have their supporters and R. Kelly has his too. Where are we in this? somewhere in the middle. It's obvious that something happened. What exactly we don't know. We do know there is some type of heat in the fire. Pork in the pot. And PORK all in the flames. With the common denominator being emotions. But let's just say we take their word for it and go with everything they said Mr. Kelly did. Our question to them is "why were you there?" if he was sooooo bad why were you there? and where were your parents? your friends? where is your responsibility to yourself? at some point wouldn't you want to respect yourself? wouldn't your family want to protect you? you're just a whole victim? not even half of one? you just differed all of your responsibility over to him? your parents differed it over to him too? Yes, that's what doesn't seem all the way right about this. Victims who claim victim from other people but not victims against themselves. That can be applied in certain situations. This feels like one of them. I'm sure many of you never heard it put this way before, but you are hearing it RAW. I am not a DA or a politician. I'm not a friend to Mr. Kelly or a friend to any of the alleged victims. I'm just a fly on the wall. The only thing that's in this room is common sense. So, with that in mind, I'll ask you in capital letters if he was so bad "WHAT THE HELL WAS YOU DOING THERE?"

Continue Reading

Celebrity, Food Years Down!

R. Kelly guilty of child porn in Chicago trial

Never Pork

Published

on

According to the Associated Press, a federal jury in Chicago found R. Kelly guilty of making child pornography and assaulting juveniles in his second sex crimes trial in two years.

Disgraced R&B singer Robert Sylvester Kelly, whose real name is Robert Kelly, is currently serving 30 years from a case handed to him in New York City. Kelly was found guilty of using his music career to facilitate a decades-long sex trafficking operation. Eleven of his alleged sexual assault victims testified against him in that trial.

Nine women and two men testified against him, alleging that he promised to help them advance in the music industry but almost never followed through.

Many of the women who encountered Kelly while they were minors have alleged that he directed them to have sex with him and each other, and that the singer obsessively documented the interactions.

After Kelly’s key witness in a 2008 Illinois child pornography prosecution refused to testify, the trial’s focus shifted to the sex tapes in a new trial that began in Chicago on August 13.

The now 37-year-old victim, who only goes by her nickname “Jane,” testified with the prosecution along with three other victims.

Three recordings depicting Kelly abusing Jane while she was a child were shown to the jury. One tape was turned over to the authorities after being provided anonymously to the Chicago Sun-Times in 2002; in it, a woman can be heard saying, “My 14-year-old body.”

Jane said that she was the teen seen in all three films.

Also on trial for their alleged roles in the conspiracy were Kelly’s ex-business manager Derrel McDavid and an ex-assistant, Milton “June” Brown.

The jury found McDavid and Brown not guilty of conspiring to obtain child pornography. Both Kelly and McDavid were cleared of obstruction of justice conspiracy charges from an earlier case.

What’s Your Take?

Like, Share, Comment, Tweet it Out!

“It’s Your World, You Decide!”

Continue Reading

Celebrity, Food Years Down!

Oprah thinks Prince Harry and Meghan Markle can make peace with the Royals.

Never Pork

Published

on

Oprah Winfrey is optimistic that the feuding royals would be able to put their differences behind them after the death of Queen Elizabeth.

The 68-year-old billionaire was the focus of an explosive interview with the Sussexes in March 2021.

In the year following Harry and Meghan’s announcement that they would be leaving their respective positions as working members of the royal family, the interview took place.

The pair from Los Angeles caused controversy with their allegations about the British royal family. According to the former actress, a royal family member made racial comments about her son, and her treatment while working for the royal family caused her to consider suicide.

At the time, opinion polls revealed that Harry and Meghan’s popularity in the UK had dropped dramatically, while polls in the US suggested the opposite.

There have been some hopeful signals that the British royal family might put their differences behind them since Queen Elizabeth’s death.

In discussing the possibility of peace among the royal family, Oprah brings up her father’s death.

According to Oprah Winfrey, the royal family’s ability to support one another through their grief could help mend old fractures.
In an interview with Extra TV that aired yesterday, Winfrey said, “This is what I think, I think in all families…you know, my father passed recently, this summer… and when all families come together for a common ceremony, the ritual of, you know, burying your dead, there’s an opportunity for peacemaking, and hopefully, there will be that,” 

Oprah’s remarks follow the Prince and Princess of Wales’s united front with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex as they greeted mourners during the funeral for Queen Elizabeth.

As of Commonwealth Day in 2020, Harry and Markle had not made a public appearance together with Prince William and Kate Middleton.

After Elizabeth’s passing, Prince Harry and King Charles both made statements that hinted at possible reunion.

Prince Harry hinted at a possible thawing of relations between him and his father in an homage to his grandmother posted on the Archewell website.

“Granny, while this final parting brings us great sadness, I am forever grateful for all of our first meetings—from my earliest childhood memories with you, to meeting you for the first time as my Commander-in-Chief, to the first moment you met my darling wife and hugged your beloved great-grandchildren,” Harry wrote in a statement, continuing:

“I cherish these times shared with you, and the many other special moments in between. You are already sorely missed, not just by us, but by the world over. And as it comes to first meetings, we now honor my father in his new role as King Charles III.”

In his first king speech, Charles made peace overtures, declaring his love for Harry and Meghan.

During his interview with Oprah, Harry revealed that he and his father have been estranged for some time and that the new king has been ignoring his phone calls for an extended length of time.

What’s Your Take?

Like, Share, Comment, Tweet it Out!

“It’s Your World, You Decide!”

Continue Reading

Celebrity, Food Years Down!

Ne-Yo says the bond broken with his wife has cost him hundreds of thousands of dollars

Never Pork

Published

on

Ne-Yo, a Grammy-winning musician, is going to court because his ex-wife has made scathing and incriminating statements about their marriage.

After eight years of marriage and the birth of three children together, Ne-wife Yo’s Crystal Renay Smith filed for divorce in September 2022. She claims she can no longer put up with Ne-yo’s infidelity, especially because he allegedly has a child with one of his three mistresses.

WBLS reports that the singer is fed up with what she calls Renay’s “sympathy seeking” media appearances. This is purportedly the text of the motion condemning her “reckless and disgusting” actions.

Since the release of his new album, he has lost almost $400,000 in wages linked with public appearances, professional bookings, and promotional activities.”

Ne-Yo wants a judge to force Smith to delete all posts referencing their marriage.

What’s Your Take?

Like, Share, Comment, Tweet it Out!

“It’s Your World, You Decide!”

Continue Reading

Trending