At trial, the victims described how Kelly subjected them to perverted and sadistic practices when they were minors.
Vocalist R Kelly sentenced to 30 years in prison on Wednesday for sexual abuse women, girls and boys, about 20 years after the allegations first surfaced.
Kelly’s conviction has been hailed as a victory for survivors of sexual violence, especially those who may be reluctant to speak out against the perpetrators for fear of retaliation.
Last September, a New York court found Kelly guilty of sexual assault and blackmail, and in nine charges against him.
Prosecutors had sought at least 25 years in prison.
In the trial, the victims had described how Kelly subjected them to perverted and sadistic practices when they were minors. Many said he demanded strict rules such as needing his permission to eat or go to the toilet and write “apology letters”.
Prior to the sentencing on Wednesday, some of the victims made statements, including “Angela”, who said “With each addition of a new victim, you bring out more evil.”
In her testimony, Lizette Martinez said: “Robert, you ruined the lives of so many people.”
R Kelly’s case has attracted attention in the light of the #MeToo movement, in which strong men must be held accountable for sexual misconduct and sexual assault.
Prosecutors included his ex-wife, Andrea Kelly, who said she feared R Kelly might kill her.
He was charged with 21 counts of creating a video of child sexual abuse with various sexual acts in June 2002, but was acquitted of all charges after the 2008 trial.
In 2017, an article on Buzzfeed brought new complaints to light. Then, in January 2019, a documentary entitled Surviving R Kelly, which describes in detail the allegations of sexual abuse and misconduct against the singer, was shown on a US television network. In the film, prosecutors wondered if their stories had been ignored in the past because they were black women.
Asked about some allegations during a CBS interview in 2019, Kelly shouted at his interviewer, Gayle King, and denied any wrongdoing.
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