R. Kelly Goes On Trial Over Teenage Boy Abuse

American R&B musician R. Kelly has been accused of having sexual relationship with a 17-year-old boy.

The prosecutors allege the singer abused the teenager after meeting him at a Chicago McDonald’s in 2006.

The Grammy-winner whose real name is Robert Kelly, is set to face trial in New York in August on charges involving six unnamed women and girls. This, including child sexual exploitation, making indecent images of minors, racketeering and obstruction of justice.

They want evidence of this, and other alleged but uncharged crimes, to be heard at Kelly’s trial in August.

Although Kelly denies ever abusing anyone, his lawyers have not responded to the latest allegations and prosecutors insist the jurors hear about all the cases against Kelly on abuse, threat or maltreatment.

They include the 17-year-old boy and aspiring musician, whom Kelly allegedly met at a McDonald’s and then invited to his Chicago studio.

After offering to help the boy with his music career, Kelly is said to have later propositioned and had sexual contact with him while he was still underage.

The prosecutors say the boy introduced Kelly to a male friend, who was either 16 or 17, with whom the singer had a sexual relationship several years later.

They also allege the star forced several female sexual partners – including a minor – to have sex with the young man as he filmed them.

Prosecutors say the two boys’ accounts and those of others will show Kelly’s alleged crimes “were not isolated events and were part of a larger pattern”.

The judge is yet to rule on whether the evidence will be considered.

Kelly, who was one of the biggest R&B stars of the 1990s, has been in jail for almost two years as he awaits trial.

His New York trial is scheduled to begin on 9 August.

S.S/BBC