R. Kelly has long avoided prosecution and conviction for his allegedly long known sex crimes against minors and young women. On Oscar weekend, in a made for TV movie moment, his free time may soon be coming to an end. In a surprise move, according to the Chicago Sun Times, today the Cook County state’s attorney charged R. Kelly with 10 counts of aggravated sex abuse. A Cook County Grand Jury indicted Kelly. The charges stem from 4 victims who were under age and involve incidents that occurred between 1998 and 2010. Aggravated criminal sex abuse is a felony which carries a range of 3-7 years if convicted. R. Kelly has avoided conviction in a past trial but the tide may be changing. His time may soon be up. He is the sex pied piper of young underage girls of lewd sex acts and alleged imprisonment, according to many reports and a recent documentary, Surviving R. Kelly. Despite past allegations, women of all ages still flock to his concerts. And his song, I Believe I could Fly is … [Read more...] about R. Kelly May Be Flying to Jail Soon
rape
R. Kelly is No Bill Cosby: He’s Worse
The recent docuseries, Surviving R. Kelly, has many folks wondering if R. Kelly will be joining Bill Cosby in prison one day. Multiple state attorneys are looking into investigating possible charges against Kelly. Although a prior 2008 case involving 14 child pornography charges against Kelly was unsuccessful, this time may be different. It’s still too soon to tell if Kelly’s time is up. The docuseries helped to re-ignite the fire but the flame is still low for a prosecution or conviction of R. Kelly. The issues facing any prosecutor who investigates and brings charges against Kelly will be credibility of witnesses and victims, statute of limitations, solicitation of victims by the prosecutors, length of time to bring charges (assuming the statute has not tolled) and the popularity of R. Kelly. Unlike most of Bill Cosby’s victims, R. Kelly’s victims are African American and other women of color. A sexual assault case is always difficult to obtain a conviction. A sexual assault or rape … [Read more...] about R. Kelly is No Bill Cosby: He’s Worse
Bill Cosby Goes to Trial and Just Might Win
Jury selections started on Monday, May 22 in the criminal case of Bill Cosby. Cosby is charged with aggravated indecent sexual assault in the case of alleged victim Andrea Constand. Constand alleges that in either January or February of 2004 that Cosby drugged her and then sexually assaulted her. The State’s Attorney filed charges within days before the statute of limitations tolled or ended any possible charges being filed. Since then, Cosby has become a pariah with most persons including his former celebrity friends shunning him and judging him guilty of Constand’s assault and those of 60 other alleged victims. On June 5, 2017, Cosby will only face the charges of Constand. The other alleged victims’ cases statute of limitations expired. So those women mostly place their hopes in Constand that justice will be served in her case—thus vindicating the others who can’t press charges. Constand’s case is far from a slam dunk. In reality, it faces many uphill climbs … [Read more...] about Bill Cosby Goes to Trial and Just Might Win
Deal Struck on Bill Cosby Case May Warrant Dismissal
Just as a judge dismissed the civil case for defamation against Bill Cosby last month, his criminal case may go up in smoke before it barely gets started. Over 50 women alleged Cosby engage in sexual misconduct, assault and/or rapes against them over the course of 40 years. In a civil case for defamation, one of those women, Renita Hill, alleged that Cosby, his wife and attorneys made false statements about her in the media. A Pennsylvania judge found no merit to her case and dismissed it. And now a hearing scheduled on Cosby’s criminal case began February 2, 2016 before a Montgomery County judge in Pennsylvania on the issue of whether the District Attorney’s office violated an alleged 2005 agreement by the prior District Attorney, Bruce Castor, Jr., to refrain from charging Cosby in Constand’s case in exchange for his testimony in her civil case. In the criminal case, Cosby’s lawyers have a good chance of having the only criminal case filed against Cosby dismissed, if the … [Read more...] about Deal Struck on Bill Cosby Case May Warrant Dismissal
Why I like Bill Cosby’s Criminal Defense Lawyer
Bill Cosby’s next criminal court date in his sexual assault case is February 2 in a Montgomery County Court in Pennsylvania. The preliminary hearing originally scheduled on January 14 was postponed until February 2. It is now indefinitely postponed. In its place, Cosby lawyer Monique Pressley's Motion to Dismiss the Case as improperly charged and Motion to Recuse the Montgomery County Prosecutors will be heard. Pressley argues a previous agreement with the prior prosecutor stated Cosby would never be charged. The prosecution case may be in for an uphill battle Montgomery County, Pennsylvania prosecutors charged Bill Cosby, longtime TV Dad, with aggravated indecent assault without consent, aggravated indecent assault while complainant is unconscious or unaware and aggravated indecent assault while person impairs complainant. The incidents allegedly occurred on January 15, 2004 at Mr. Cosby’s Philadelphia suburban home against former Temple University employee, Andrea … [Read more...] about Why I like Bill Cosby’s Criminal Defense Lawyer
U VA and Capitol Hill: A Tale of 2 Different Rapes
Rolling Stone magazine’s retraction of a gang rape, of a student known only as “Jackie”, by University of Virginia fraternity members of Phi Kappa Psi, stands in contrast to the case of Donny Ray Williams, Jr., a former Capitol Hill legislative aide, who admitted to two rapes. Williams was sentenced to probation on April 3. One case casts a shadow and suspicion over women who report rapes. The other one makes the case for why many women don’t often come forward and report rapes. Many men and some women often view many rapes as being unsubstantiated and unproven. I always cringe when I hear people asking for the proof, as if there is some magical formula. And for many people, the story told by Jackie reminds them of the Duke Lacrosse team and rape allegations against their members in 2006. Charges were dropped in 2007 due to insufficient and inconsistent evidence. It provides an argument for some persons that rapes are usually a tale of some sort by the victims. Even in the … [Read more...] about U VA and Capitol Hill: A Tale of 2 Different Rapes