R. Kelly was a beloved musician Known for hits like “Ignition” and “I Believe I Can Fly.” But Kelly’s history of criminal charges goes back 20 years, and Kelly was convicted on multiple counts in September 2021. Now he has made a new friend in prison: Frank James, who is accused of shooting the York subway train in Brooklyn, New York.
R. Kelly jailed since 2019
R. Kelly was charged in 2019 with nearly two dozen counts, including child sexual exploitation, child pornography, sex trafficking, kidnapping, forced labor, racketeering and obstruction of justice.He was denied bail and pretrial release and remained in jail until his trial.
The trial began in August 2021, and a grand jury found him guilty on all nine counts next month after more than 50 witnesses testified. He was convicted of racketeering, coercion and inducement, transportation of minors, and interstate transportation for unlawful sexual activity.
Kelly faces a mandatory minimum sentence ranging from 10 years to life in prison. His announcement is set for June 15, 2022.
R. Kelly befriends Brooklyn subway gunman in prison
According to from new york daily news, Kelly befriended Brooklyn subway shooter Frank James while awaiting trial. Kelly and James are both at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Sunset Park. James is currently awaiting trial for the mass shooting he committed in April 2022 that saw him commit a terrorist attack or other act of violence on the public transportation system and shoot during a violent crime.
“Both get on well,” a prison source told the publication. “They actually sit and eat together.”
Another source detailed their time together. “They talk about TV shows. They go out for fun together,” the source said. “They are buds.”
In addition to bonding with James, Kelly entertained his fellow inmates with improv performances while in prison, including the most recent a cappella “I Believe I Can Fly.”
R. Kelly believes he is innocent
Before sentencing, Kelly criticized his old Legal team Because he believes there was a lack of action in the jury selection process in his sex crime case. He explained in the affidavit that it was “likely” that jurors watched Lifetime’s hit show. Surviving R. Kelly Documentary before their verdict.
“At some point in jury selection, I do hear that some jurors may have seen Surviving R. Kelly The documentary, it worries me a lot,” Kelly said. “I raised my concerns with my lawyers, but they threw me away. I was just a bystander in the process. “
“As far as I know, there is no strategy for selecting jurors for a jury,” he added. “At least no experimental strategy involving my input.”