The Latest: Avenatti says he expects feds to charge R. Kelly
CHICAGO (AP) — The Latest on the sexual abuse case against R&B singer R. Kelly (all times local):
5:30 p.m.
R. Kelly’s lawyer says 11 new sex-related counts filed by Cook County prosecutors against the singer “are not really new.”
Prosecutors presented the new charges in a Thursday filing.
Defense lawyer Steve Greenberg said in a text that the allegations in the new filings are “are the same conduct … charged differently.” He added that it’s the “same alleged victim, same time frame, same facts.”
Greenberg has long said Kelly expected to prevail at trial. In his Thursday comment, he said he expects the “same results” with the latest charges.
Among the new charges are two counts of criminal sexual assault by force and three counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse against a victim between the ages of 13 to 16. They apparently pertain to a single victim.
Kelly was already facing 10 counts of aggravated sexual abuse involving four women years ago, three of whom were minors at the time.
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4:45 p.m.
Attorney Michael Avenatti says he expects R&B singer R. Kelly to face “serious federal charges” in the coming weeks.
Chicago prosecutors on Thursday charged Kelly with 11 new sex-related counts accusing him of coercing a minor into sex through threats or actual violence. Kelly was arrested in February and charged with 10 counts of aggravated sexual abuse pertaining to four women, including three who were underage when the alleged abuse occurred. The new charges pertain to one of those three women.
Avenatti told The Associated Press that he represents three Kelly victims, two parents and two whistleblowers, and that he has provided “significant evidence” against Kelly to federal prosecutors in multiple U.S. attorneys’ offices. He declined to say which districts would pursue the charges, but he said he and his clients have been cooperating with prosecutors “for the better part of four months.”
Avenatti faces his own serious federal charges, including ones accusing him of trying to shake down Nike and cheating his most famous client, porn star Stormy Daniels, out of $300,000.
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2:50 p.m.
Prosecutors in Chicago have charged R&B singer R. Kelly with 11 new sex-related counts, including some that carry a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison.
The Chicago Sun-Times reports that Cook County prosecutors filed the new charges against Kelly on Thursday. Among the new charges are four counts of aggravated criminal sexual assault, two counts of criminal sexual assault by force, two counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse and three counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse against a victim between the ages of 13 to 16. The charges apparently pertain to a single victim.
The four aggravated criminal sexual assault counts carry maximum terms of 30 years in prison.
Kelly was already facing 10 counts of aggravated sexual abuse involving four women years ago, three of whom were minors when the alleged abuse occurred.
Kelly’s defense attorney, Steve Greenberg, didn’t immediately respond to an email from the AP seeking comment. He told the Sun-Times that he had received word of new charges from prosecutors but hadn’t seen any filings in the case. He did say he understood that the allegations are “from years ago.”
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Check out all of the AP’s complete coverage of the investigation into R. Kelly.
The Western Journal has not reviewed this Associated Press story prior to publication. Therefore, it may contain editorial bias or may in some other way not meet our normal editorial standards. It is provided to our readers as a service from The Western Journal.
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