R. Kelly has filed an appeal in his federal sexual crimes case in New York, with his legal team arguing that he was wrongfully convicted. The disgraced R&B singer was found guilty on nine federal counts of RICO charges and sexual misconduct crimes, as well as human trafficking, and sentenced to 30 years in prison.
His lawyers claim that the judge did not meet the proper “burden of proof” to sentence him, and that jury selection and evidence allowed in court impacted his chances of receiving a fair trial. They also claim that some of the alleged victims were of age at the time of their relationship with Kelly and that information like his bedroom activity, sexual preferences, and history of STDs should not have been allowed in the case.
Kelly and his legal team are seeking a new trial or to have the conviction scrapped altogether. This case is separate from Kelly’s second federal sexual assault case, where he was sentenced to 20 years in prison for sexually abusing minors and producing sex tapes with a minor. He was also ordered to pay $42,000 in restitution to one of the victims to cover their therapy costs.
