Jailed singer R.Kelly is not giving up his fight for freedom. In his latest attempt to clear his name, he’s taking a significant step by appealing to the United States Supreme Court to overturn his convictions for possession of child porn and inducing minors to have sex, TMZ reports.
Kelly, who is currently serving a 20-year sentence after being found guilty of multiple charges, argues that the allegations against him are outdated and should be dismissed based on the statute of limitations.
The background of Kelly’s legal troubles dates back to accusations made in 2020 concerning his possession of child pornography and engaging in sexual acts with underage girls during the mid to late 1990s. Kelly’s legal team contends that the statute of limitations on these charges has expired, rendering them invalid. However, the prosecution countered this claim by invoking the PROTECT Act, a law enacted in 2003 that extends the statute of limitations indefinitely for child sex crimes. Per TMZ, Kelly’s attorney, Jennifer Bonjean, insists that the PROTECT Act should not apply to Kelly’s case since the alleged offenses took place prior to the law’s enactment.
RELATED:R.Kelly Files Appeal In New York After Being Sentenced To 30 Years In Prison
As the news site notes, the PROTECT Act was introduced to strengthen the prosecution of child sex offenders, and it clearly stipulates that the extended statute of limitations applies only to crimes committed after it was enacted. Despite this, prosecutors maintain that the Act’s provisions should encompass Kelly’s charges, arguing that the nature of the crimes warrants an indefinite timeline for prosecution.
In 2020, Kelly was convicted on six counts out of thirteen, with three counts related to child pornography and three concerning the inducement of minors to engage in sexual acts. Alongside his prison sentence, he was ordered to pay substantial damages to his alleged victims, further complicating his legal and financial situation.
While Kelly has always maintained his innocence, it’s now up to the Supreme Court to determine his fate yet again.