On the second day of R. Kelly’s sex abuse trial in Brooklyn federal court, a woman who claims R. Kelly forced her to call him “Daddy” when she was 16 and choked her until she passed out is slated to revisit the witness stand today.
Prosecutors say R. Kelly dominated and expected absolute fealty from six women and girls over the course of a two-decade racketeering scheme in which he recruited and abused his victims. Among them is the late singer Aaliyah, who married Kelly when she was 15 years old.
In an opening statement on Wednesday, U.S. Attorney Adjunct Maria Cruz Melendez told the jury that Kelly used “lies, manipulation, threats and physical abuse” to control his victims and often filmed the sexual interactions.
Kelly has pleaded not guilty to a nine-count indictment that includes bribery and extortion.
The trial comes nearly four years after the commencement of the #MeToo era, and it is the conclusion of years of suspicions and claims against Kelly, many of which were documented in the 2019 Lifetime documentary “Surviving R. Kelly.”
Pace, referred to in the indictment as Jane Doe No. 4, testified on Wednesday that Kelly knew she was 16 when they had intercourse because she had shown him identification, but he told her to pretend she was 19.
Pace, who was once a fan, told the jury that Kelly began to mistreat her, forced her to call him “daddy” and to ask for permission to use the restroom. The relationship ended shortly after he choked her until she passed out.
On Wednesday, Kelly’s defense team argued that the government’s case had “gaps” in it and that accusers only wanted to get back at Kelly for ending the relationship.
Prosecutors claim Kelly recruits victims through a circle of managers, bodyguards, and others and threatens to blackmail them when they leave.
Other female accusers and at least one male accuser are likely to testify.
At a 2008 trial in Illinois, Kelly was cleared of the accusation of child pornography.
If convicted, Kelly could face decades in prison.
