A bench warrant has been issued for R. Kelly, whose real name is Robert Sylvester Kelly, in Minneapolis for failure to appear in court.
What We Know:
- Kelly was supposed to appear in court on Thursday in Hennepin County, Minnesota, to face two sex-crime charges of child prostitution and solicitation stemming from a 2001 encounter with a teen girl, but he is still in federal custody in Chicago, USA Today reports.
- According to CNN, Hennepin County Attorney Judith Cole stated that “no attorney had approached her office, or filed a certificate representation for Kelly.”
- Steve Greenberg, Kelly’s lawyer, disputed the claims by tweeting that “It is irresponsible for the media to report #RKelly “failed” to appear in Minnesota court today. I was not served with any notice of court proceedings, nor was he. I did not resist his appearance, nor did he.”
- Kelly has been indicted in Illinois and New York on federal charges of sex-crimes, and his court date is scheduled for April 2020. If convicted, he may not have to appear in Minnesota to face those charges. Chuck Laszewski, spokesman for the Hennepin County District Attorney stated, “Who knows?”
- For now, the bench warrant makes it mandatory for R.Kelly to show up to court the next time.
This isn’t the first time Kelly was a no-show for court. He was also a no-show for court in Cook County where he refused transport to the Leighton Criminal Court Building. He has pleaded not guilty in all charges against him.
He is in custody. It is the prosecutor who must obtain a court order for #RKelly to appear, and it is the prosecutor who must go get him if, as here, he is in custody elsewhere. They do not just give him a travel pass from federal custody.
— Steve Greenberg (@SGcrimlaw) September 12, 2019
