R. KELLY was denied bail on racketeering and sexual abuse charges at an arraignment hearing in Brooklyn Federal Court on Friday morning. The charges are part of multiple allegations of sexual misconduct against the singer that have been filed this year. The singer, wearing blue prison togs over an orange shirt, pleaded not guilty to the charges through his attorneys, Douglas Anton and Steven Greenberg. While he looked ahead through most of the hearing, Kelly smiled ruefully and nodded briefly at girlfriends Joycelyn Savage and Azriel Clary, who were seated with two other associates of the singer; the two women each let out a sympathetic sigh as Kelly was led into the courtroom in prison togs. He did not address the courtroom except to tell the judge that he understood the charges against him. Attorneys for the government claimed that if the 52-year-old singer were released on bond, he would be a flight risk with a serious danger of obstruction of justice and noted the allegations of his sexual crimes against minors. They also noted his “lengthy and wide-ranging history of criminal conduct” and said that during his 2002 child-pornography trial, of which he was acquitted in 2008, there were multiple claims of obstruction of justice — specifically “paying off and intimidating witnesses not to appear” — and noted the assistance of his “inner circle” with those obstruction claims. The attorneys claimed there are 13 alleged victims involved in the relevant charges; he is charged specifically in New York with exploiting five victims, identified only as “Jane Does,” three of whom were minors. (SD-Agencies) |