A
witness reluctantly testified against R.Kelly in Brooklyn federal court on Thursday,
11th day of his New York City sex trafficking trial. The
witness, now 31 and testifying as “Alexis,” told the jury she met
Kelly at a concert in Jacksonville, Florida, during his Light It Up tour in
2006.
Also Read: R Kelly kept a gun while sexually abusing me: Accuser during trial
“I
don’t recall how old I was,” the woman stated. When questioned more on the
timing, she demurred, saying, “It’s hard. It was 16 years ago.”
“Do
you want to be here today?” the prosecutor asked at one point.
“No,” she answered.”
Despite
her reluctance, the lady said that Kelly groomed her by inviting her
backstage at one of her shows, convincing her to sign a non-disclosure
agreement, and eventually paying for flights to join him at hotels in locations
where he held concerts and trips to his Chicago-area house.
Also Read: R Kelly accused of sexual exploitation by a man after similar testimonies by women
Some
of her early interactions with him took place while he was being investigated
for child pornography, which resulted in his acquittal in a 2008 trial.
She
testified about consenting to have threesomes with Kelly and another lady. She
stated how the defendant forced her to put on lingerie and converse with a
girlfriend who was leashed and collared.
“She
was on her hands and knees and I was walking her,” she said.
Alexis
was not cross-examined by Kelly’s defence team.
Kelly,
54, is charged with numerous counts of sex trafficking and racketeering
spanning decades and involving six accusing witnesses, including the late
singer Aaliyah, dubbed Jane Doe No. 1 by authorities.
Also Read: R Kelly trial: 2nd accuser says singer beat her, knowingly gave her herpes
In
recent years, the artist has been the subject of increased scrutiny as a result
of the #MeToo movement, with numerous women coming forward with allegations
against him that have led in federal criminal charges in New York and Chicago,
putting him in jail since 2019.
Over
the course of his 30-year career, the actor has rejected several allegations
that he preyed on women. His attorneys have painted his accusers as groupies
who are lying about their connections with him.