Two of R. Kelly’s accusers will remain anonymous until just before he faces trial, a federal judge in New York City ruled today.
U.S. District Judge Ann M. Donnelly decided that given the singer’s alleged history of witness tampering and intimidation, prosecutors have a valid reason to withhold the womens’ identies. As a result, he denied the request.
According to the Chicago Tribune, Kelly is facing a sweeping racketeering indictment in New York, alleging he and his associates recruited women and girls for illegal sexual contact with Kelly, then isolated and threatened them to keep them under his control.
Kelly’s team already knows the identity of four alleged accusers but contends that they cannot prepare an adequate defense for the singer without the identity of the two women in question.
Kelly has been charged for allegedly filming his sexual encounters with Jane Doe #2, who was a minor at the time, on multiple occasions. The other alleged victim, who has been identified as Jane Doe #3, was in her early 20s when Kelly invited her to his hometown for an an interview. He then reportedly locked her in a bathroom for three days, drugged her and sexually assaulted her while she was unconscious.
The disgraced singer faces separate charges of sexual misconduct in federal court in Chicago as well as Cook County criminal court.
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