R. Kelly’s 30-year prison sentence remains locked in place as the appeals court slams the door on his desperate attempt to wriggle free from justice, though they bizarrely took issue with his victim having to use name-brand herpes medication.
At a Glance
- Federal appeals court upheld R. Kelly’s sex trafficking and racketeering convictions and his 30-year prison sentence
- Court rejected Kelly’s claims of biased jurors, weak evidence, and poor legal representation
- Judges questioned one victim’s restitution order for brand-name herpes medication, suggesting generic alternatives instead
- Kelly’s attorney plans to appeal to Supreme Court, calling the ruling “unprecedented”
Justice Stands Firm Against Celebrity Privilege
In a refreshing display that fame doesn’t buy freedom in America, a federal appeals court just crushed R. Kelly’s hopes of overturning his sex trafficking and racketeering convictions. The 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Manhattan didn’t mince words as they upheld both the verdict and his 30-year prison sentence. This marks yet another defeat for the disgraced R&B star who spent decades using his celebrity status as a weapon to prey on underage girls and young women while his enablers looked the other way.
Kelly’s legal team threw everything at the wall hoping something would stick. They argued juror bias, insufficient evidence, and even tried blaming his previous lawyers. The appeals court saw right through this desperation play, finding prosecutors had more than enough evidence showing how Kelly systematically abused his victims over a 20-year span. Isn’t it telling that it took the #MeToo movement and a documentary to finally bring this man to justice when allegations had been swirling since the 1990s?
The System’s Bizarre Priorities
Here’s where things get ridiculous. While the court had no problem confirming Kelly deserves to rot in prison for three decades, they somehow found time to quibble over the cost of herpes medication for one of his victims. Judge Richard Sullivan apparently felt it was worth noting that the victim’s restitution order – based on the cost of brand-name Valtrex – constituted a “windfall” since generic alternatives cost significantly less. Yes, that’s right. A woman who contracted a lifelong sexually transmitted disease from her abuser is getting too good a deal on her medication.
Only in today’s America would we see a court system more concerned about a convicted predator having to pay for name-brand medicine instead of generic than ensuring his victims receive full restitution. This restitution ruling may now go back to a lower court for reconsideration. Meanwhile, Kelly’s complaints about the government taking money from his prison commissary account were promptly dismissed by the judges. At least they got that part right.
The Never-Ending Legal Battle
Kelly’s attorney, Jennifer Bonjean, isn’t giving up. She’s planning to appeal to the Supreme Court, criticizing the 2nd Circuit ruling as “unprecedented” and claiming it extends federal racketeering laws “to situations absurdly remote” from their intended purpose. Good luck with that strategy. The Supreme Court has already declined to hear an appeal of Kelly’s separate 20-year sentence for child sex charges from 2022. Some people just don’t know when they’ve lost.
Let’s not forget what this man did. Trial testimony revealed Kelly knowingly gave herpes to accusers without disclosing his condition. Graphic videos were admitted as evidence. He used his entourage to recruit victims and maintain control over them. The “I Believe I Can Fly” singer created a systematic enterprise of abuse that spanned decades while the entertainment industry looked the other way. The fact that he’s now fretting over commissary accounts and generic medication prices shows just how far the mighty have fallen – and rightfully so.
