R. Kelly was placed on suicide watch following being convicted of federal sex crimes.
The Chicago Tribune states that during a preliminary on Wednesday, Steve Greenberg, Kelly’s attorney told U.S. District Judge Harry Leinenweber that Kelly “was placed under suicide watch” after he was found guilty.
On Sept. 27, R. Kelly was found guilty on each count named in his racketeering and sex trafficking trial. R. Kelly faced nine counts. One count of racketeering, with 14 underlying acts that included sexual exploitation of a child, kidnapping, bribery, and sex trafficking charges, and also eight additional counts of violations of the Mann Act, a sex trafficking law.
The New York Times states R. Kelly “sat motionless” in the courtroom as the verdict was delivered. His facial expressions were unable to be seen due to wearing a COVID-19 mask. He was found guilty of nine counts of racketeering and sex trafficking.
The trial lasted six weeks in Brooklyn and included testimonies of sexual abuse and more. The jury was composed of seven men and five women. They began deliberation this past Friday afternoon.
Despite the guilty verdict, Rolling Stone reported R. Kelly’s music sales have jumped 517-percent since he was found guilty of federal sex crimes last month.
Kelly’s legal team has stated they will seek an appeal and are disappointed in the verdict. Sentencing for R. Kelly’s New York trial is set for May 5, 2022. Ahead of that date, Kelly will face federal charges in Illinois, along with additional cases in Cook County and Minneapolis.
