R. Kelly learned part of his fate yesterday, Sept. 27, when he was convicted on all counts in a federal sex trafficking trial after decades of avoiding criminal prosecution for numerous allegations of misconduct with young women and children. The singer’s ex-wife Drea Lee, (formerly Drea Kelly), has three adult children with the singer and spoke about being abused by the Chicago crooner for years. She talked with “Good Morning Britain” after the decision was rendered and explained that justice was finally starting to be served.
“It’s great that we’ve taken this step forward, but it’s what happens outside of the courtroom that’s most important. That women are supported to even feel like they have the strength to come forward and tell their stories. If there’s still victim-shaming, victim-blaming and women being afraid to even speak their truth, we can never get a court system where justice can be served. So, we have to start there first. When women, children and even men, because they can be victims of domestic violence, feel supported by society to come forward and tell their stories, that’s when justice can really be served,” explained Lee.
R. Kelly’s former protégé Stephanie Edwards, who recorded under the name Sparkle, also spoke on the verdict. The “Better Be Careful” singer was one of the first people to go public about Kelly’s pedophilia when she reported to police that it was her then-14-year-old niece that Kelly was seen urinating on in a 2001 videotape. She also testified in Kelly’s 2008 child pornography trial where he was later acquitted.
Continue reading about Sparkle’s reaction on the following page.
