R. Kelly’s Plea to the Supreme Court: Overturn Sex Convictions
R. Kelly is taking his case to the highest court in the land, arguing that his convictions for possessing explicit child content and inducing minors into sexual activities should be thrown out. The reason? He claims the alleged acts took place decades ago, and the charges are now barred by the statute of limitations.
The controversy surrounding R. Kelly’s case began in 2020, when he was accused of possessing explicit child content and engaging in sexual acts with underage girls in the mid to late-1990s. Kelly’s legal team argued that the statute of limitations had already expired, making the charges invalid.
However, prosecutors countered that the PROTECT Act of 2003 had effectively eliminated the statute of limitations for child sex crimes. This law, passed years after the alleged incidents, allows for the prosecution of such crimes without time constraints.
Kelly’s attorney, Jennifer Bonjean, is challenging this application, stating that the PROTECT Act cannot be applied retroactively to crimes committed before its passage in 2003. In essence, Kelly’s legal team is arguing that you can’t be tried for a law that didn’t exist at the time of the alleged offense.
The PROTECT Act extends the statute of limitations indefinitely for crimes committed after its enactment, but Congress did not include a provision to apply the law to conduct that occurred before 2003. This omission, Kelly’s team argues, means the law cannot be used to prosecute him.
Kelly was convicted of six counts in 2020, including three for possessing explicit child content and three for inducement. He received a 20-year sentence and was ordered to pay substantial damages to his alleged victims.
AUGUST 2023
The Supreme Court is expected to decide in the coming months whether to hear Kelly’s appeal.
