A New York judge sentenced singer R. Kelly to 30 years in prison after he was convicted of sex trafficking and racketeering.
Judge Ann M. Donnelly, who presided over the six-weeklong trial last year in Brooklyn, New York, announced the singer's sentence Wednesday after hearing statements from Kelly's accusers.
"Although sex was certainly a weapon that you used, this is not a case about sex. It’s a case about violence, cruelty and control," Donnelly told him. "Although we are disappointed in the sentence, we are eager to bring Mr. Kelly’s appeal before the Second Circuit," said Bonjean in a statement to USA TODAY Wednesday."We continue to maintain that the government overcharged and then failed to prove racketeering and Mann Act violations. "
"He’s strong, and we are going to get through this,” Bonjean said on her way into court Wednesday. “Mr. Kelly has had horrific labels slapped on him. But he’s not obligated to own them."What accusers said during the sentencing A third woman, sobbing and sniffling as she spoke, said Kelly’s conviction restored her faith in the legal system. “I once lost hope,” she said, addressing the court and prosecutors, “but you restored my faith.”"I was afraid, naive and didn’t know to handle the situation," she said, so she didn’t speak up at the time."Silence," she said,"is a very lonely place."
In 2008 a jury acquitted Kelly of 14 counts of child pornography charges after deliberating for less than eight hours over two days.
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