R.Kelly – Prosecutors Fear For Safety Of Jurors In Chicago Trial For Singer, Asks Court To Keep Their Identities A Secret
R. Kelly may be behind bars, but his influence is apparently still at large.
Radar Online reported the prosecution in the case against R. Kelly in Chicago has urged the court to keep the names of the potential jurors secret after they are chosen out of concern for their safety. They’re concerned outside parties would make an effort to get in touch with and sway jurors.
The jurors’ names, spouses’ names, cities of residence and places of employment are all requested by the prosecution to be sealed by the court in order to
“protect the jurors’ privacy and integrity, and to shield them from harassment by [Kelly’s] supporters.”
According to prosecutors,
“Kelly is an international celebrity in the music industry. Between 1996 and 2015, Kelly was nominated for over 250 music awards, including 26 Grammy Awards. Kelly has a fervent fanbase, including many individuals who actively use various social media platforms to share their opinions about Kelly and his ongoing criminal cases.”
Following his conviction in September 2021 for sex trafficking and racketeering, R. Kelly was given a 30-year prison term in July. Recently, he was moved from the New York institution to Illinois, where he will now stand trial for child pornography following accusations of alleged sexual abuse of five women, which he supposedly film.
The prosecutors’ request was approved by the judge, who also mandated that the names remain private.
While the judge signed off on the confidentiality request, there appears to be no word on whether they will seize the funds from the disgraced R&B singer’s prison-inmate account. R. Kelly has more than $28,000 in his prison account that prosecutors want to seize, claiming he hasn’t paid the $140,000 in fines that have been ordered by the court.
What are your thoughts on the entire situation? Let us know in the comments!
Source by thejasminebrand.com