American singer R. Kelly has been sentenced to 30 years in prison for using her celebrity status to sexually abuse children and women. The 55-year-old R&B artist was convicted of racketeering and sex trafficking offences in New York in September last year.
He had faced years of charges and the judge said on Wednesday that he had “indifference to human suffering”. The singer’s lawyer, whose real name is Robert Sylvester Kelly, says he will appeal.
Before his sentencing, a handful of women took the stand to confront Kelly. A woman identified only as Angela called the singer a pied piper who “increased in wickedness” with each new victim, while others who did not testify had their spirits broken.
“I literally wished I would die because of how you made me feel,” said one.
Dressed in prison khakis and dark glasses, Kelly declined to make a statement of his own and did not react as the verdict was handed down. US District Judge Ann Donnelly said the celebrity had used sex as a weapon, forcing its victims to do unspeakable things and causing some to suffer from sexually transmitted diseases.
“You taught them that love is slavery and violence,” she said.
The court heard how Kelly – best known for hit songs like I Believe I Can Fly and Ignition – used her influence over two decades to entice women and children to sexually abuse her. At her six-week trial in Brooklyn, jurors heard how she smuggled women between different US states, assisted by managers, security guards, and other members of her crew.
The court also heard how Kelly had illegally obtained paperwork to marry singer Aaliyah when she was 15 in 1994, seven years before the singer’s death in a plane crash. Alia’s age was stated to be 18 in the leaked certificate at that time. The marriage was annulled months later.
Jovante Cunningham, a former backup singer for Kelly, said she never thought this day would come.
“There wasn’t a day in my life up until this moment that I actually believed that the judicial system would come through for black and brown girls,” she told reporters.
“I stand here very proud of my judicial system, very proud of my fellow survivors and very pleased with the outcome.”
