Kelly's Lawyer Likened Him To Martin Luther King Jr.
Key Sentence:
- Lawyer R Kelly compared him to civil rights activist Martin Luther King Jr. in the final argument of the human trafficking case.
- Deveraux Cannick said the two men were holding the government accountable and urged the jury to be brave.
The 54-year-old singer has denied all charges against him in federal proceedings. Prosecutors ended their argument with a simple message: "punish him" after saying he had to "pay for the pain he inflicted on each of his victims." Kelly, whose full name is Robert Sylvester Kelly, has been accused of advertising and sexually assaulting underage women and girls.
The charges include one extortion point and eight points for illegally transporting people across state lines for sex. Over the past five weeks, a jury in Brooklyn, New York, has heard from several men and women that the star has taken control of them and imposed draconian rules about when they can eat, sleep, and go to the bathroom, and that includes changing places.
Prosecutors described him as a predator who used his fame to lure fans into his circle, where he would demand strict obedience or punish them. "The defendant has been recruiting and grooming women, girls and boys for his sexual gratification for decades," Prosecutor Elizabeth Geddes told the jury.
He continued, "It is time to hold the accused accountable for the pain he inflicted on each of his victims. Now is the time for the defendants to pay for their crimesNine women and two men appeared in court, claiming Kelly sexually abused them.
Defense lawyers said Kelly had a "Playboy life" because her record company labeled her a sex symbol. "Where is the crime?" said Mr. Cannick, dismissing the alleged victims as a group.
"You've heard of a man who treats these women like gold," added Mr. can nick. "He bought them a bag that was more expensive than a car." He referred to King's speech "I was in the mountains": "I read somewhere about freedom of assembly. I read somewhere about freedom of expression. I read somewhere about freedom of the press.
King backed the Constitution to try to get the government "to do what it says on paper," he said, adding, "That's all Robert is trying to do." Kelly declined to testify in his defense on Wednesday. Court reporters said he shook his head during prosecutors' recent arguments.
The jury is expected to step down on Thursday to review their verdict. If found guilty, Kelly faces up to 15 years in prison.