A federal judge on Thursday delayed singer R. Kelly’s sexual abuse and bribery allegations trial in Brooklyn, New York to July 7, to avoid conflicts with another upcoming trial in a separate case in Chicago.
U.S. District Judge Ann Donnelly in Brooklyn federal court said the scheduled April 27 trial date in Chicago made the May 18 target to begin the Brooklyn trial somehow difficult.
R. Kelly is detained in Chicago by federal authorities and attended the Brooklyn hearing by video conference.
His lawyer Douglas Anton supported the delay of the hearing to July 7, citing “voluminous” evidence to review. He also said that the singer’s defense lawyers “don’t even know who two of the alleged victims are.”
Questionnaires will be given to about 400 to 500 prospective jurors in May, from whom lawyers will find 200 jurors to question further in July trial.
R.Kelly, 53, has faced sexual abuse allegations dating back to over two decades. Some allegations include accounts from some accusers in the 2019 Lifetime documentary “Surviving R. Kelly.”
