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Singer R. Kelly found guilty on all counts in sex abuse trial

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Agence France-Presse

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="Cheryl Mack is questioned by Assistant US Attorney Nadia Shihata during R. Kelly" s="" sex="" abuse="" trial="" in="" a="" courtroom="" sketch="" New="" September="" Jane="" src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2021/reuters/09/27/20210927-rkelly.jpg"/><figcaption>Cheryl Mack is questioned by Assistant US Attorney Nadia Shihata during R. Kelly&#x27;s sex abuse trial in a courtroom sketch in New York, September 17, 2021. <em>Jane Rosenberg, Reuters</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>R. Kelly on Monday was convicted of leading a decades-long sex crime ring, with a New York jury finding the superstar singer guilty on all nine charges, including the most serious of racketeering.</p><p>After 6 weeks of disturbing testimony, the jury deliberated just 9 hours before finding the incarcerated 54-year-old celebrity guilty of systematically recruiting women and teenagers for sex, before grooming and brutally abusing them. </p><p>Wearing a light blue tie, pinstriped navy suit and a white mask, Kelly sat largely motionless, holding his head down and periodically closing his eyes behind black-rimmed glasses. </p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/09/22/21/r-kelly-trial-nears-end-as-singers-lawyers-defend-against-sex-abuse-claims">R. Kelly trial nears end as singer&#x27;s lawyers defend against sex abuse claims</a></li></ul><p>He faces up to life in prison. His sentencing is scheduled for May 4.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/09/10/21/r-kelly-accuser-says-singer-starved-her-for-days">R. Kelly accuser says singer starved her for days before assaulting her</a></li></ul><p>To convict Kelly on the most serious charge of racketeering, jurors had to find him guilty of at least two of 14 &quot;predicate acts&quot; -- the crimes elemental to the wider pattern of illegal wrongdoing.</p><p>Lurid testimony intended to prove those acts included accusations of rape, druggings, imprisonment and child pornography.</p><p>The jury of five women and seven men found that all but two of the acts had been proven.</p><p>Kelly was also convicted on all eight charges of violating the Mann Act, an anti-sex trafficking law.</p><p>&quot;We&#x27;re disappointed with the verdict,&quot; Kelly&#x27;s attorney Deveraux Cannick told journalists outside the courtroom.</p><p>He said they would be &quot;considering&quot; an appeal.</p><p>Kelly still faces prosecution in three other jurisdictions, including Illinois federal court.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/09/06/21/drake-kanye-albums-draw-scrutiny-for-crediting-r-kelly-marilyn-manson">Drake, Kanye albums draw scrutiny for tracks crediting R. Kelly, Marilyn Manson</a></li></ul><p>One of the 1990s&#x27; brightest stars whose hits included &quot;I Believe I Can Fly,&quot; the disgraced Kelly was long trailed by abuse allegations, but evaded them for decades.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/08/19/21/r-kelly-groomed-girls-for-decades-trial-hears">R. Kelly groomed girls for decades, trial hears</a></li></ul><div><strong>FROM THE ARCHIVES</strong></div><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" frameBorder="0" height="100%" id="ivsplayer01" scrolling="no" src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/html/iframe-src.html?iframeid=ivsplayer01&amp;key=e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603&amp;spid=3001339&amp;vid=1390617" width="100%"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more in <a href="//www.iwantv.com.ph/">iWantv</a> or <a href="//tfc.tv/">TFC.tv</a></div>

One of the 1990s' brightest stars whose hits included 'I Believe I Can Fly,'Kelly faces up to life in prison. His sentencing is scheduled for May 4.