More skeletons are coming out about R. Kelly since the release of the final chapters of “Surviving R. Kelly.”
The final installments of Lifetime’s ‘Surviving R. Kelly’ aired this week and revolved around the R&B singer’s 2022 federal trial, in which the NDA was used as evidence.
The last episode explored the imprisoned singer’s controversial marriage to a then 15-year-old Aaliyah.
It was revealed that R. Kelly silenced the late songstress and her family following the annulment of the marriage with a non-disclosure agreement.
Aaliyah was Jane Doe #1 in the trial.
When the couple secretly married in 1994, Aaliyah’s age was misrepresented on the marriage license listing her as 18. Her parents declared the union null and void in February 1995.
In ‘Surviving R. Kelly,’ individuals close to both R. Kelly and Aaliyah revealed new details about the alleged legal agreement between R. Kelly and Aaliyah’s family.
Gem Pratt, R. Kelly’s former security guard and childhood friend, appeared in the docuseries claiming that Aaliyah’s father was furious about the union and forced the annulment.
Pratt also claimed that the family entered into a legal agreement with R. Kelly, stating they would not press charges against him for the illegal marriage once it was dissolved. In exchange, R. Kelly sold them the rights to his first three albums.
Kelly was finally charged with several crimes in September of 2021 after years of accusations and rumors about sexual assault and misconduct with minors.
Kelly was convicted on six of 13 counts following his 2021 trial in Chicago and faces further charges in Minnesota.
The NDA Kelly used against Aaliyah was also included in his New York trial in 2022. The document was discovered by writer Jim DeRogatis, who broke the story of R. Kelly’s sexual abuse more than two decades ago.
The use of NDAs in sexual harassment cases has grown to be a contentious topic, underscoring the power disparity that results from the offender or businesses silencing victims through compelled legal papers.
In June 2022, R. Kelly was sentenced to 30 years in prison after being found guilty of sex trafficking and racketeering in September 2021.
The R&B superstar still faces charges in other states.
