R&B star R. Kelly no longer faces prostitution charges involving a minor in Minnesota. The Hennepin County Attorney’s Office announced Tuesday that they have dismissed the case against the singer.
Kelly was accused in 2019 of paying for sex with a person under 18 years old in Minnesota.
The prosecutors said they still believe the victim-survivor and think they could have won the case at trial. But they decided to drop the charges because Kelly has already been convicted of federal sex crimes in New York and Chicago and will likely spend the rest of his life behind bars.
Kelly, 56, received a 30-year prison sentence for his New York conviction in 2021 and another 20-year sentence for his Chicago conviction in February. He is appealing both verdicts. He also faced federal child pornography charges in Chicago and was found guilty in September.
The victim survivor in Minnesota – known only as “Jane Doe” – expressed her disappointment through her lawyer, Gloria Allred. She said she was sad that Kelly was not held accountable for what he did to her as a minor. She said she would have testified against him if there was a trial, even if it did not add to his prison time. She said it would have given her closure.
Kelly’s lawyer, Jennifer Bonjean, said she was glad that the case was dismissed. She said it was the right outcome for many reasons and that the prosecutors showed good judgment. She said she was prepared to defend the case but was happy she did not have to.
