R. Kelly's latest federal trial has begun - opening statements expected today

[silverstarry]

R. Kelly’s federal trial in Chicago has begun. During jury selection, the judge denied a request from Kelly’s attorney to exclude any potential jurors who have seen Surviving R. Kelly. https://t.co/1dV5TXh4s8
- Pitchfork (@pitchfork) August 16, 2022
I know it's hard to keep track of all R. Kelly's different charges and court cases so here's info

Comments

[angriest_girl]

Imagine how many young Black girls would not be living with trauma today if the world had just fucking listened to that journalist guy all those years ago.

[automaticpeople]

Which journalist?

[angriest_girl]

This guy

https://amp.theguardian.com/us-news/2022/may/04/everyone-failed-these-young-black-girls-journalist-jim-derogatis-on-his-decades-long-battle-to-expose-r-kelly

[automaticpeople]

Thank you.

[thereinventions]

Without their dogged reporting, it’s likely that Kelly would still be abusing young women - and some men - with impunity. But DeRogatis is not triumphalist about finally seeing Kelly behind bars. “Was there satisfaction with the verdict?” he asks. “You know, the women that I’m still in contact with, to a single one, all said: ‘Sure, I’m glad he’s convicted, but it’s too little, too late for me.’ It was very difficult for any of them to take satisfaction out of the fact it took two decades to stop it.”

Damn. Him and RK's victims feel this way, and I don't blame them.

[inandoutofgrace]

this is my first bit of proper education into what RK has done and I am SICKENED. The multiple levels of failure here, I really hope those women will one day find peace

[silverstarry]

I think they're referring to this article from 2000 which was the first major news story about his shady activities. The article is behind a paywall, but it says that the police had investigated him twice for having sex with an underage female, but the investigations were dropped due to a "lack of cooperation" from the victims.

[therearewords]

Twenty-two years ago; jesus fucking christ.

[roomgirl]

I know people answered you already, but Jim DeRogatis' book about R. Kelly impacted me on a human level and honestly changed me as a person a little bit. I really recommend it to anyone who can stomach it if they have an interest in this case.

[hellojeds]

I read it recently and it will stay with me for a long time.

[choukoumei]

Honestly it enrages me that it has been known for years and it took this fucking long for shit to happen. The man is the worst kind of predator.

[aleksie]

I'm guessing a lot of people knew about R. Kelly and Aaliyah. I wish someone would've done more back then. There might've been victims before her, but that was pretty public. Not as public as the trial but still.