R. Kelly to Stand Trial for Child Pornography Charges

R. Kelly can't seem to catch a break in his ongoing legal issues. The "You Remind Me of My Jeep" singer is set to stand trial for child pornography and obstruction of justice in his hometown of Chicago. The news comes just weeks after Kelly was found guilty of nine charges of racketeering and sex trafficking in New York. He now faces a minimum of 10 years to life in prison. His sentencing date for the New York case is set for May 2022.

The U.S. District Judge Harry Leinenweber, who is part of the case, reportedly wanted the trial in Chicago to begin earlier. Steven Greenberg, one of Kelly's attorneys, will be part of the child pornography case. Ahead of the New York case, Greenberg stepped down, citing disagreements with the rest of the team.

Kelly is being tried with two co-defendants, Derrell McDavid and Milton "June" Brown. The trial is expected to last three to four weeks. The singer, born Robert Sylvester Kelly, is also facing additional cases in Minnesota, Georgia, and Florida. 

He's been jailed since 2019, following the reaction from the Lifetime docuseries Surviving R. Kelly. The six-part series chronicled years of alleged sexual, financial, emotional, mental, and physical abuse at the hands of Kelly. Over two dozen accusers gave their accounts. Former employees of Kelly's also spoke of witnessing the singer's intense control. 

Kelly and his team have denied the victims' accounts. According to them, they are scorned past lovers seeking attention and a major paycheck. As far as the women who say they were underage when they began relationships with Kelly, his team says their parents practically handed them over to him in hopes of him being able to help their daughters become famous. 

During the six-week New York case, several of Kelly's former live-in girlfriends took the stands against him, alleging they were manipulated and controlled by the singer for an extended period of time. Many describe their time in Kelly's circle as a cult.