R.Kelly Under Investigation by Prosecutors in Chicago and Atlanta
R. Kelly is currently being investigated by prosecutors in Chicago and Atlanta. According to a report by The New York Times, prosecutors are looking into the allegations of sexual and physical abuse outlined in the TV show Surviving R.Kelly.
Prosecutors in both states are calling for potential victims or witnesses to come forward. “There’s nothing that can be done to investigate these allegations without the cooperation of both victims and witnesses. We cannot seek justice without you,” Kimberly M. Foxx, state attorney for Cook County, Illinois, said at a press conference on Tuesday.
Foxx called Surviving R. Kelly “deeply, deeply disturbing” and said that, in the wake of the show, her office had heard from two families concerned about contact between Kelly and their loved ones. While prosecutors are looking into the allegations, Foxx wouldn't confirm an active criminal investigation.
According to the report, the district attorney’s office in Fulton County, Georgia has also started interviewing potential sources, including the parents of Joycelyn Savage, whom they believe has been abused while living with Kelly. Savage is still thought to be living with the singer.
On Tuesday, Kelly's lawyer Steve Greenberg told The Hollywood Reporter that the allegations outlined in Surviving R. Kelly were “another round of stories” that he believed were to "fill reality TV time."
The allegations against the singer go back for years, with multiple reports of sexual and physical abuse. Kelly has consistently denied all allegations against him, and in 2008 he was found not guilty on child pornography charges.
If you have been sexually harassed or assaulted, there are resources to help you. Donate to Rape Crisis here (UK) or RAINN here (US).