R. Kelly, a Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter, was sentenced to 30 years in jail in 2016 for human trafficking and violating the Mann Act.
The Chicago R&B artists will not give up without a fight. Kelly is now hoping to reverse his conviction by filing an appeal with the United States Supreme Court.
Legal Grounds for Appeal
Jennifer Bonjean, R. Kelly’s attorney, has submitted a petition requesting that his convictions for possessing child pornography and persuading children to participate in sexual activities should be dismissed. Bonjean claims that the alleged crimes occurred in the mid to late 1990s and are thus forbidden by the statute of limitations.
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Debate on the Statute of Limitations.
Kelly’s argument hinges around the statute of limitations. When Kelly was charged in 2020, he claimed the statute of limitations had lapsed. Prosecutors cited the 2003 PROTECT Act, which extended the statute of limitations for child sex crimes indefinitely. Bonjean contends that this statute should not apply retroactively to activity that occurred before the law was passed.
The PROTECT Act was enacted to extend the statute of limitations forever for child sex crimes occurring after 2003. According to Bonjean, Congress did not add a provision that would apply the statute to offenses committed before its passage, which is the basis for Kelly’s appeal.
Previous Convictions and Sentences.
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R. Kelly was found guilty of six out of thirteen counts in 2020, including three for child pornography and three for incitement. He received a 20-year term and was required to make significant restitution to his alleged victims.
Supreme Court Decision Pending
The Supreme Court will likely decide whether to hear Kelly’s appeal in the coming months. If the court accepts the case, it could spark a major legal dispute over the use of the statute of limitations in sex crime trials.
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