R Kelly was back in a Chicago court on Monday morning, where he officially entered a not-guilty plea on 10 counts of aggravated sexual abuse.
The 52-year-old singer has been been granted bond ahead of his next scheduled court appearance on March 22nd, but thus far has been unable to come up with 10% of the $1 million amount set by the judge. Kelly’s lawyer, Steve Greenberg, said Kelly’s ongoing legal issues have left his finances a “mess,” but that the singer hopes to post bail by Tuesday.
After learning of Kelly’s financial plight, some of his female fans reportedly reached out to the county clerk offering to cover the cost of his bail, according to reporter Will Lee.
Meanwhile, attorney Michael Avenatti, whose discovery of an incriminating tape helped lead to Kelly’s indictment, announced Monday that he has uncovered a second tape and handed it over to prosecutors. “Justice music be done,” Avenatti tweeted.
If convicted of the charges in Chicago, Kelly faces between 40-70 years in prison. Additionally, Kelly is the subject of a criminal investigation in Georgia over claims of assault and imprisonment. Plus, a second grand jury has been assembled in the Southern District of New York, based on federal investigations by the F.B.I. and the I.R.S., according to The New Yorker, and a third grand jury could soon be convened by the Department of Homeland Security over allegations of sex trafficking.
Kelly’s attorney, Greenberg, is confident his client will be cleared of all charges. “He’s a rock star, he doesn’t have to have nonconsensual sex,” Greenberg explained to reporters on Saturday.
