R Kelly convicted of luring women, underage girls for sex
Kelly kept his head down as the verdict was read, with his face shielded by a white mask
R Kelly was convicted by a federal jury on Monday in his sex trafficking trial, where prosecutors accused the R&B singer of exploiting his stardom over a quarter-century to lure women and underage girls into his orbit for sex.
Jurors in Brooklyn federal court deliberated for a little more than a day before voting to convict the 54-year-old Kelly on all nine counts he faced, after a 5-1/2 week trial.
Kelly kept his head down as the verdict was read, with his face shielded by a white mask.
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A woman watching from an overflow courtroom cried as the verdict was read, as did others who had waited to learn Kelly's fate in a park adjacent to the courthouse. One supporter played the singer's music there, including the song "Shut Up."
Deveraux Cannick, a lawyer for Kelly, told reporters that the defense was disappointed. "I'm sure we'll be appealing," he said.
Kelly faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years behind bars, and could face up to life in prison at his May 4, 2022, sentencing.
