Key takeaways:

• The 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed R. Kelly's 30-year prison sentence for sex trafficking.
• Prosecutors presented extensive evidence of Kelly's abuse and manipulation of victims.
• His legal team plans to appeal the decision to the U.S. Supreme Court.
• The ruling follows increasing scrutiny of Kelly's actions amid the #MeToo movement.

On February 12, 2025, the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New York upheld R. Kelly's conviction and 30-year prison sentence for sex trafficking and racketeering, rejecting his claims that the prosecution lacked sufficient evidence and that the trial was unfair. The court's ruling emphasized the extensive testimonies detailing how Kelly exploited his celebrity status over a span of 25 years to manipulate and abuse numerous underage girls and young women.

Judge Denny Chin, in his statement, noted that prosecutors provided substantial evidence demonstrating how Kelly ensnared his victims through physical and emotional abuse, threats, and humiliation, thus securing their compliance to his demands. The court specifically highlighted the complex network of managers and assistants that facilitated Kelly's predatory behavior, isolating victims and controlling many aspects of their lives. This included testimony from survivors who described the verbal, physical, and sexual abuse they endured, as well as incidents where Kelly knowingly transmitted sexually transmitted diseases without disclosure.

In response to the ruling, Kelly's attorney, Jennifer Bonjean, criticized the decision as "unprecedented," arguing that it grants excessive power to prosecutors to misuse the racketeering statute in cases that do not align with its original intent. She expressed hopes for the Supreme Court to review this appeal, as the earlier conviction related to child sex abuse also faced a similar fate in 2023 when the Supreme Court declined to hear it.

R. Kelly, born Robert Sylvester Kelly, is widely recognized for his Grammy-winning contributions to music, including the hit "I Believe I Can Fly." Despite his commercial success, allegations of misconduct have long overshadowed his career, culminating in significant public backlash led by movements such as #MeToo and the documentary "Surviving R. Kelly," which reignited widespread outrage against the singer.

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