Following a ruling in August 2023, where six women were granted $10.5 million due to alleged threats leading to the cancellation of the Surviving R. Kelly docuseries screening, R. Kelly claims ignorance.
In court documents obtained by TMZ, Kelly argues that had he known about the lawsuit, he would have contested it.
Amidst legal troubles, the singer states that changes in his legal representation caused this specific suit to go unnoticed, buried beneath other legal matters. Kelly suggests that he was too preoccupied with other legal affairs, causing him to miss this particular litigation.
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In an interesting twist, Kelly claims an inability to understand words beyond a grade school level, relying on his legal team to interpret the legal complexities he faces. This is a stark contrast to his artistic abilities or could be a legal strategy.
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Accused alongside his then-manager, Donnell Russell, of using threats to silence women in the docuseries, Kelly now tries to shift blame. Allegations include threats against the women and the docuseries producers, resulting in the closure of a New York City screening in December 2018 due to a shooting threat.
In his defense, Kelly distances himself from Russell’s managerial role, denying responsibility for the halted screening. He argues that if Russell made the threat, it was for personal reasons, absolving him of blame.
The legal fallout saw Russell sentenced to one year due to the lawsuit. Meanwhile, R. Kelly, already sentenced to 30 years for racketeering and s3x trafficking in 2022, faces an additional 20 years for a child s3x crimes charge. The legal saga continues, with courtroom battles unfolding against the backdrop of a tarnished legacy.
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