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R Kelly's former lawyer claims singer was 'guilty as hell' in 2008 trial

Ed Genson, who has been diagnosed with cancer, says he wants to speak out while he's still alive

Saturday 09 March 2019 10:16 GMT

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R Kelly: People have been 'stealing my money'

R Kelly's former lawyer has claimed the singer was "guilty as hell" of possessing child pornography.

Chicago defence attorney Ed Genson represented Kelly after he was indicted on 13 counts of child pornography in 2002. He was acquitted on all of those charges in 2008.

Speaking to the Chicago Sun-Times, Genson said: “He was guilty as hell. I don’t think he’s done anything inappropriate for years.

"I’ll tell you a secret – I had him go to a doctor to get shots, libido-killing shots. That’s why he didn’t get arrested for anything else.”

Genson told the publication he was suffering from bile cancer and was going to “say whatever I want, but we’ve got to do it fast.”

“It would be nice to get it down so somebody knows besides me,” he added.

#MeToo movement – In pictures

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1/24#MeToo movement – In pictures

#MeToo movement – In pictures

2017

A picture shows the messages "#Me too" and #Balancetonporc ("expose your pig") on the hand of a protester during a gathering against gender-based and sexual violence called by the Effronte-e-s Collective, on the Place de la Republique square in Paris

AFP

#MeToo movement – In pictures

2018

Italian actress Asia Argento (C) and US singer and actress Rose McGowan, who both accuse Harvey Weinstein of sexual assault, take part in a march organised by 'Non Una Di Meno' (Me too) movement as part of the International Women's Day in Rome

AFP/Getty

#MeToo movement – In pictures

2017

Victims of sexual harassment, sexual assault, sexual abuse and their supporters protest during a #MeToo march in Hollywood, California

AFP/Getty

#MeToo movement – In pictures

2018

South Korean women staging a monthly protest against secretly-filmed spycam pornography in Seoul. Since May 2018, the monthly demonstrations against secretly-filmed spycam pornography in Seoul has shattered records to become the biggest-ever women's protest in South Korea where the global #MeToo movement has unleashed an unprecedented wave of female-led activism

AFP/Getty

#MeToo movement – In pictures

2017

Swedish MEP Linnéa Engström sits behind a placard placed on her desk that reads "Me too" during a debate about combating sexual harassment and abuse in the EU at the European Parliament in Strasbourg

AFP/Getty

#MeToo movement – In pictures

2018

Activists participate in front of the Brandenburg Gate in a demonstration for women's rights in Berlin

Getty

#MeToo movement – In pictures

2018

A McDonald's employee holds a sign during a protest against sexual harassment in the workplace in Chicago

AFP/Getty

#MeToo movement – In pictures

2018

An activist participates in the 2018 #MeToo March in Hollywood

Getty

#MeToo movement – In pictures

2018

Women protest in New York

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#MeToo movement – In pictures

2018

Women hold a banner reading "still feminist" with the Eiffel tower in background

AFP/Getty

#MeToo movement – In pictures

2017

French activist Jean-Baptiste Redde, aka Voltuan, holds a placard as protesters take part in a gathering against gender-based and sexual violence in Paris

AFP/Getty

#MeToo movement – In pictures

2018

Activists and advocates for survivors of sexual abuse, including Democratic candidate for Illinois governor at the time JB Prtizker (left), gather in the Federal Building Plaza to protest the confirmation of Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh in Chicago, Illinois after the Senate Judiciary Committee voted out Supreme Court nominee Judge Brett Kavanaugh and agreed to an additional week of investigation into accusations of sexual assault against him before the full Senate votes on his confirmation. Christine Blasey Ford accused Kavanaugh of sexually assaulting her when they were both teens

Getty

#MeToo movement – In pictures

2018

A group describing themselves as #MeToo/#YoTambien survivors, hold a candlelight vigil outside the Mexico Consulate to support the women taking part in the human caravan heading through Mexico to the US border

AFP/Getty

#MeToo movement – In pictures

2017

Victims of sexual harassment, sexual assault, sexual abuse and their supporters protest during a #MeToo march in Hollywood

AFP/Getty

#MeToo movement – In pictures

2018

South Korean demonstrators hold banners during a rally to mark International Women's Day

AFP/Getty

#MeToo movement – In pictures

2018

Dozens of women and men attend a rally and march in Washington Square Park for international Women's Day in New York

Getty

#MeToo movement – In pictures

2017

People carry signs addressing the issue of sexual harassment at a #MeToo rally outside of Trump International Hotel in New York

Getty

#MeToo movement – In pictures

2017

Victims of sexual harassment, sexual assault, sexual abuse and their supporters protest during a #MeToo march in Hollywood

AFP/Getty

#MeToo movement – In pictures

2018

South Korean demonstrators hold banners during a rally to mark International Women's Day

AFP/Getty

#MeToo movement – In pictures

2018

Dozens of protesters against the confirmation of Republican Supreme court nominee Judge Brett Kavanaugh gather outside of Democratic Senator Chuck Schumer's office on the afternoon that Professor Christine Blasey Ford testified against Kavanaugh in New York

Getty

#MeToo movement – In pictures

2018

Activists and advocates for survivors of sexual abuse gather in the Federal Building Plaza in Chicago

Getty

#MeToo movement – In pictures

2018

Dozens of women and men attend a rally and march in Washington Square Park

Getty

#MeToo movement – In pictures

2017

People carry signs addressing the issue of sexual harassment at a #MeToo rally outside of Trump International Hotel

Getty

#MeToo movement – In pictures

2018

Activists and advocates for survivors of sexual abuse gather in the Federal Building Plaza to protest the confirmation of Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh

Getty

Lawyer Michael Avenatti, who is representing two of Kelly's accusers, praised Gensen for coming forward.

"Because the more people that believe that R Kelly is guilty, that’s better for the prosecution,” Avenatti told USA Today.

“If they move this case anywhere outside Chicago, a guilty verdict is all but assured. Chicago is the only place where he has even a remote chance of beating this. R Kelly and his lawyers want to keep this in Chicago.”

Kelly has faced renewed scrutiny following the release of the Lifetime docuseries, Surviving R Kelly, which is said to have sparked the investigation into the allegations of sexual abuse.

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He was arrested a week ago and released on bail, only to be arrested once again on Wednesday (6 March) after failing to pay child support fees.

On the same day, Kelly gave a shocking interview with CBS News, in which he shouted at broadcaster Gayle King and claimed his innocence on 10 counts of aggravated sexual abuse against four victims. Three of those were allegedly aged 13-17 when the attacks were said to have taken place.

“I didn’t do this stuff, this is not me, I’m fighting for my f***ing life,” Kelly said in the interview, arguing that he has been targeted.

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