Prosecutors rest case against R Kelly after month of testimony

US prosecutors on Monday rested their sex-trafficking case against R&B singer R Kelly after a month of often disturbing and graphic testimony from people who accuse him of sexually abusing women and girls.

The prosecution’s case in Brooklyn federal court concluded with testimony from a clinical psychologist who had taken the stand on Friday.

Kelly’s lawyer, Calvin Scholar, began the defence with a musical artist who said he has known the singer since about 2005, viewing him as a mentor who would let him “observe, learn and become”. The witness said he had never seen illicit activity toward the alleged victims.

The witness, who performs under the name Da-Ni, also said he was never asked by Kelly to have sex with the accused’s girlfriends.

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Prosecutor Maria Cruz Melendez tried on cross-examination to show Da-Ni was not that close to Kelly and wanted to stay on the accused’s good side to advance his own music career, which never materialised.

Kelly, whose full name is Robert Sylvester Kelly, has pleaded not guilty to one count of racketeering and eight counts of illegally transporting people across state lines for prostitution.

Prosecutors have accused the 54-year-old of grooming and preying on women and girls as far back as the mid-1990s, when his music including the 1996 Grammy-winning song I Believe I Can Fly propelled him to fame.

His alleged victims include the singer Aaliyah, who was 15 when Kelly married her illegally in 1994. The marriage was later annulled and Aaliyah died in a 2001 plane crash.

Fans who felt jilted?

Since the trial began on August 18th, jurors have heard testimony from dozens of women and former employees who say Kelly maintained tight control over his entourage.

Several witnesses have said Kelly became angry if people broke his rules. These allegedly included needing permission to go to the bathroom or talk with others. It is also alleged he pressed accusers to write “apology letters” to potentially absolve him from wrongdoing.

Witnesses have accused Kelly of failing to tell them prior to intercourse that he had the sexually transmitted disease herpes.

Defence lawyers have tried to portray Kelly’s accusers as fans who felt jilted after being unable to capitalise on the singer’s fame. They have also questioned why accusers and former employees failed to leave Kelly sooner or go to the police and waited years to come forward.

Six witnesses may testify for the defence.

Scrutiny of Kelly increased after the #MeToo movement began in late 2017 and Lifetime aired the documentary Surviving R. Kelly in January 2019.

Kelly still faces sex-related charges in Illinois and Minnesota, regardless of the outcome of the Brooklyn trial. – Reuters