R. Kelly gets another shot at securing his freedom with a new bail hearing.
R. Kelly might be seeing some version of freedom in the coming months now that Judge Harry D. Leinenweber has granted the singer a hearing to consider his motion for release during his trial. According to All Hip Hop, Kelly’s lawyer, Steven Greenberg, used the fact that he has no previous convictions as justification for requesting his release back in August. He also pointed out that the widely-recognized performer was not a flight risk due to his fame, and that he never attempted to avoid his court dates during his previous trial for allegedly participating in sexual acts with a thirteen-year-old girl in 2002.
Greenberg argued, “The court did not consider that Mr. Kelly appeared for each and every day of his trial and was present when the jury’s verdict was read. The court never considered that Mr. Kelly has been aware of these federal investigations and yet did not abscond.”
Kelly’s lawyer is requesting that he be given house arrest during his trial with monitoring of his location and activities. He also promises that the singer will refrain from excessive internet use and not be in contact with any minors. The “Trapped in the Closet” singer was arrested in July of last year and charged with thirteen counts, including child pornography, enticement of a minor, and obstruction of justice. He is also facing separate indictments in New York and Minnesota for similar crimes.
The Grammy-winner’s fall from grace has been well documented over the last decade, with several victims stepping forward to detail their horrific experiences with Kelly, many of whom were minors at the time the abuse occurred. Despite continuing to do shows and maintaining a strong fan base through much of his legal issues, the Lifetime docuseries Surviving R. Kelly, which featured numerous of his alleged victims accusing him of sexual abuse, served to seal his guilt in the eyes of the public. R. Kelly maintains his innocence.
