R Kelly pleads not guilty to sex abuse charges

Roisin O'Connor
Music Correspondent
Monday 25 February 2019 17:01 GMT
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R Kelly surrenders to police in Chicago following charge of sexual abuse of underage girls

R Kelly pleads not guilty after being charged with ten counts of aggravated sexual abuse, his lawyer has said.

The R&B singer appeared in court in Chicago wearing an orange jumpsuit. He kept his hands behind his back and remained silent during proceedings, according to US media reports.

Kelly is facing 10 counts of aggravated sexual abuse with four alleged victims, including three underage girls.

The Grammy-winning artist is reportedly struggling to post his $100,000 bail. His lawyer Steve Greenberg disputed rumours that this is due to Kelly's reported financial problems, and told Associated Press that his team was working to pull together 10 per cent of the $1m bond set by a judge by the weekend.

"He's in high spirits considering what's going on," Greenberg told ABC Chicago. "No one wants to be in jail."

The charges against Kelly were detailed by Cook County State Attorney Kim Foxx last week. The alleged abuse took place between September 1998 and January 2010.

Attorney Michael Avenatti tweeted today (Monday 25 February) that a "second video showing R Kelly engaged in (the) sexual assault of a minor" would be released to prosecutors.

"This tape was recently uncovered in connection with our ongoing nationwide investigation on behalf of victims," he said.

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