R. Kelly Taken Back Into Custody

He'll be jailed until he pays $161K in back child support
By Newser Editors and Wire Services
Posted Mar 6, 2019 4:34 PM CST
R. Kelly Taken Back Into Custody
Musician R. Kelly arrives at the Daley Center for a hearing in his child support case at the Daley Center, Wednesday, March 6, 2019, in Chicago.   (AP Photo/Matt Marton)

R. Kelly was taken back into custody Wednesday after appearing at a child-support hearing, authorities said, hours after the broadcast of an interview in which the R&B star cried and ranted about being "assassinated" by allegations of sexual abuse. A spokeswoman for the Cook County Sheriff's Office said Kelly would not be released from jail until he pays $161,000 in back child support, the AP reports. Kelly's publicist, Darryll Johnson, said Kelly came to the hearing prepared to pay $50,000 to $60,000, but the judge wanted the whole amount. He said Kelly did not have the whole amount because he has not been able to work. The singer's next hearing is scheduled for March 13, sheriff's spokeswoman Sophia Ansari said.

Kelly was charged last month with 10 counts of aggravated sexual abuse and has pleaded not guilty. He spent a weekend in jail before someone posted his $100,000 bail. His defense attorney said at the time that Kelly's finances were "a mess." The interview with CBS This Morning was Kelly's first since he was charged. Kelly called his accusers liars and alleged that people are after him for his money. He told interviewer Gayle King that he never sexually abused women or controlled their lives. The 52-year-old singer is accused in Chicago of sexually abusing four females dating back to 1998, including three underage girls. At one point during the interview, Kelly angrily stood up and started pacing, his voice breaking as he yelled: "I didn't do this stuff! This is not me!" (Video and more from the interview here.)

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