R. Kelly’s Rep Says He Wouldn’t Leave His Daughter Alone W/ Singer: ‘I Wouldn’t Allow Her Around Anyone Accused of Pedophilia’
R. Kelly’s Rep Says He Wouldn’t Leave His Daughter Alone W/ Singer: ‘I Wouldn’t Allow Her Around Anyone Accused of Pedophilia’
The spokesperson for R. Kelly continues to support and defend the singer after being arrested for child pornography and other charges. So far in the case, more than 20 alleged sex tapes with R. Kelly and underage girls have been uncovered by authorities.
Now, his publicist Darrell Johnson said he “absolutely” wouldn’t leave his 20-something-year-old daughter alone with him.
He told Gayle King on CBS This Morning,
“Absolutely not. I would not leave my daughter with anyone who’s accused of pedophilia. I would not leave my daughter with anyone that’s accused of being a pedophile. I would not.”
After being pressed by King over his response, Johnson reiterated,
“I wouldn’t leave my daughter with anyone — I’m going to say it again — that’s accused of being a pedophile.”
Still, he also spoke on defending R. Kelly, who has been accused of having inappropriate sexual relations with underage women since the 90s.
“Here’s what I say: I never call anybody a liar. I came on seven months ago. I walked into a front door, and I seen Mr. Kelly being a normal person … Mr. Kelly was recording. Twenty minutes later, [the two women] walked in with shopping bags, no security, free [to go], doing what they wanted to do, and I spent a lot of time with Mr. Kelly. And I still say my eye is trained. I haven’t seen anything that would cause me to be suspicious.”
“They’ve indicted Mr. Kelly. He’s in jail right now. He will have his day in court. And they’ll have to bring the evidence. And that’s what has to be done. If the evidence stick, Mr. Kelly will spend the rest of his life in the penitentiary.”
Despite his jail time, Johnson said R. Kelly isn’t hurting for money thanks to royalties from his music and even support from fans.
“Mr. Kelly does have royalties that come in so he’s living off some of his royalties. Early on, fans and friends gave a lot of donations.”
As for how R. Kelly is doing mentally, Johnson revealed all isn’t well for the singer and could even be on suicide watch.
“[He’s] a mess right now. He’s afraid, he’s scared, he’s isolated. I would assume that he is [on suicide watch]… Nobody wants to be locked down 24 hours, no TV. He can’t read and write, so he can’t read a book. It’s almost as if he’s already been — a jury has convicted him.”
“When you’re in the state of mind Mr. Kelly is in right now, any person, including myself and you, would probably want the authorities be cautious of what has taken place.”
Fans might remember Johnson was also on hand to calm R. Kelly down during his explosive interview with King in March.
See Johnson step in at the 6:45 mark.
Meanwhile, a transfer for R. Kelly from Chicago to New York has been scheduled as he faces recent racketeering charges in the state. He’s accused of recruiting minor girls for sexual abuse at concerts around the nation. U.S. Marshals will bring him to a courthouse in Brooklyn on Aug. 2. For now, he’s in Chicago’s Metropolitan Correctional Center without bond. After his hearing in New York, he’ll go back to the Windy City for a status hearing on Sept. 4 on an unrelated charge.
Kelly is facing a total of 18 counts in Chicago and New York. He was denied bail as an assistant U.S. attorney said,
“This risk of obstruction is real. This risk is ongoing. This risk is heightened by the defendant’s fame and power. “[He] has a unique ability to influence and intimidate witnesses and victims, and that continues to this day.”
If convicted, Kelly could get a sentence ranging from 15 years to 195 years for the Chicago charges.
At the same time, one of his ex-workers Milton “June” Brown has entered a not-guilty plea in Chicago amid a conspiracy to receive child pornography charge. He turned himself in last week and was released.