R. Kelly misses court hearing in Chicago as he refused transport
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R. Kelly, a renowned singer, has missed a court hearing in Chicago. His prosecutor claimed that he refused transport from jail. Kelly, the R&B star, was due in the court on Thursday for a pre-trial hearing. The prosecutor said, “It is not 100% true that he refused the transport but moving him is a large undertake.”
Kelly has been facing a number of state and federal charges of sexual abuse in the United States of America. He denied all of the accusations. The charges against him include sexual abuse, abuse of a minor, making indecent images of minors, racketeering, and obstruction of justice. The judge seemed frustrated with the absence of the singer in the court. The hearing continued without him on Thursday. Judge Lawrence Flood told Steve Greenberg, the defense lawyer of R. Kelly, that he had to be here.
Jennifer Gonzalez, the prosecutor, said, “It was all set to bring him in the court. The sheriffs were going to bring him here. He refused transport that is why he is not before your honor today.” Kelly is in the Metropolitan Correctional Center. Greenberg argued that the statement was not 100% true. He added, “The Marshal Service says moving R. Kelly is a large undertaking.”
R. Kelly is currently facing charges in Illinois, New York, and Minnesota. No decision has been made so far about where he will face charges first. Greenberg told the BBC News, “he did not refuse transport, they never went to get him from federal custody to bring him to the state court.”
Greenberg told the court that he had discussed the matter with the US Marshal Service in an open court. He said that he did not want to discuss the matter again here. Judge Flood proceeded the hearing in Chicago and he has given a next hearing date to Kelly in Chicago on September 17. R. Kelly has been facing a number of charges in different states. A decision is needed to be made where he will face the charges first, Kelly’s prosecutor said. Judge Flood was frustrated with the absence of the R&B star in the court.
