CHICAGO – R. Kelly is behind bars in Cook County, Illinois until he pays $161,000 in back child support. The singer was arrested during a hearing on the matter in which his attorney arrived ready to pay up to $60,000 towards the funds owed, but that wasn’t enough for the judge.
Local media reports Kelly was not in handcuffs while being escorted out of the courtroom.
The arrest comes hours after an emotional interview with Gayle King of ‘CBS This Morning’ aired. In the conversation, R. Kelly strongly denies sexually abusing women and having a controlling influence in their lives.
“I didn’t do this stuff. This is not me. I fighting more my (expletive) life!” Kelly exclaimed during the interview.
Today is the first time people are hearing from the 52-year-old since he was charged with 10 counts of sexual abuse, including the abuse of then underage girls, in Illinois. He blames social media for all the coverage of the allegations, claiming anyone can come forward with false claims these days.
During the CBS interview, R. Kelly looked into the camera and begged people to, “Use your common sense. Forget the blogs, forget how you feel about me. Hate me if you want to, love me if you want. But just use your common sense. How stupid would it be for me to.. with my crazy past and what I’ve been through. ‘Oh right now I think just think I need to be a monster and hold girls against their will.'”
Immediately after the interview aired, an attorney for the family of a woman who has lived with the singe for the last two years lashed out. He says 23-year-old Joycelyn Savage’s parents have not heard from her during that time frame, claiming she is being held against her will.
Savage later joined a phone call with her parents that was hosted on speakerphone inside their lawyer’s office. She told her parents she was “happy” and that they “need to stop” trying to get in touch with her.
Allegations against R. Kelly resurfaced after years of rumors as the Lifetime network premiered their documentary show ‘Surviving R Kelly’ late in 2018.
