R.Kelly Conviction Appeal: A Legal Battle Over Retroactive Law Applications
R.Kelly has petitioned the Supreme Court to overturn his 2023 conviction for child sex crimes. The musician, found guilty of various offenses against minors, contends that the federal PROTECT Act—a 2003 law allowing prosecution for child sex abusers during the victim’s lifetime—was improperly applied to his case, as the abuse occurred before the act’s enactment.
On July 30, R. Kelly’s attorneys argued that the PROTECT Act should not be retroactively applied to his crimes, claiming that Congress did not intend for the 2003 law to cover offenses committed before its passage. Federal prosecutors charged Kelly with 13 counts under this act in 2020 for crimes against three girls in the 1990s, leading to his conviction on six counts, including creating child pornography and coercing minors into illegal activities. He is currently serving a 20-year sentence.
Jennifer Bonjean, Kelly’s lawyer, argues that applying the 2003 amendment retroactively is inconsistent with established legal principles. Despite the federal appeals court in Northern Illinois ruling against Kelly earlier this year—affirming that the PROTECT Act’s application was valid because the victims are still alive—Kelly’s team is now seeking the Supreme Court’s review.
This marks another attempt by R.Kelly to challenge his child sex crime convictions.
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