R. Kelly tried to overturn his sex trafficking and racketeering convictions, but that bid was unsuccessful. While the primary goal faltered, Kells was able to sidestep the cost of medication to treat one of his victims.
According to AllHipHop, the Second Circuit Court of Appeals maintained the verdict of most of the 2021 case, upholding racketeering and Mann Act violations. The verdict is backed by evidence that R. Kelly used his celebrity status to exploit underage girls and young women.
His attempt to overturn the conviction blamed biased jurors and faulty lawyers. The three-judge panel ruled to uphold the conviction.
A federal appeals court rejected R. Kelly’s claims of juror misconduct and ineffective legal counsel, finding no credible evidence to support them. It also upheld the seizure of his prison commissary funds and restitution orders, ruling the trial court acted within its discretion. However, Judge Richard Sullivan partially dissented, disagreeing with how restitution was calculated for a victim known as Jane, who contracted herpes from Kelly. While the court based the amount on the cost of brand-name Valtrex, totaling over $270,000, Sullivan argued it should have used the far cheaper generic alternative, valacyclovir, which would amount to under $10,000.