Demetrius Smith, a former tour manager for R. Kelly, is expected to testify in the singer’s federal case about an alleged marriage between Kelly and Aaliyah, according to reports in December 2019.
Smith, who toured with Kelly in the 1990s, says he obtained a falsified ID for Aaliyah in 1994, when she was 15 and Kelly was 27, so the two could marry. He made the claim during the Lifetime docuseries Surviving R. Kelly and said he witnessed a brief ceremony. Kelly has pleaded not guilty to the charges in his federal case.
Prosecutors in the Eastern District of New York have reportedly added the allegation to the racketeering case pending against Kelly, describing it as bribery. It would be the first time Kelly faces trial over his alleged relationship with Aaliyah, whom he was working with at the time.
Even though he is cooperating with prosecutors, Smith told TMZ in a video chat that he does not want to see Kelly locked up. He said Kelly should get a psychological evaluation and added, “I think we should help him more so than hurt him.”
A representative for Kelly had not responded to Smith’s claims at the time of the TMZ report.
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