A New York federal judge has delayed the sentencing hearing for imprisoned R&B singer R. Kelly. Judge Ann Donnelly made the ruling Tuesday (April 5), but not for the reason Kelly's lawyers requested.
According to reports, Kelly was originally scheduled to be sentenced May 4 following his September 2021 racketeering conviction in US District Court in Brooklyn. The disgraced entertainer faces 10 years to life in prison for leading a criminal enterprise for the purpose of trafficking underaged women and girls, a jury ruled.
Kelly's attorneys requested the hearing be delayed until after his state trial in Chicago which is set to begin in August. Judge Donnelly denied that request, but postponed the sentencing to June 16 because a pre-sentence investigation report –– used to set punishment –– was just submitted this week, The Chicago Tribune reported.
While Kelly's attorneys argued that not delaying the sentencing would jeopardize his Fifth Amendment rights, prosecutors say any hold up would hurt victims who've "waited years to see (Kelly) held to account and sentenced for his crimes."
Kelly faces charges in Chicago for allegedly conspiring with two of his associates to rig the 2008 child pornography case by hiding years worth of evidence of sexual abuse against underaged girls.
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