The preparations for R.Kelly’s trial are underway.
U.S. Attorney Richard Donoghue has recently filed a 16-page motion asking a judge to keep the potential jurors’ identities in Kelly’s trials anonymous along with their home and job addresses.
According to reports, Donoghue states that Kelly has had a history of attempting to obstruct justice and can be seen as capable of inflicting violence. “Based on the evidence to be presented at trial, the defendant is likely to be perceived by the jurors as capable of inflicting violence. Multiple witnesses will testify that the defendant physically and violently assaulted them when they broke one of the defendant’s ‘rules’ and that they witnessed the defendant physically assault others as well for similar transgressions.”
The motion also asks US Marshals to guard the jurors while the trial is taking place.
Kelly is currently facing charges in New York of coercion of a minor, transportation of a minor, racketeering, and coercion to engage in illegal sexual activity.
He is also awaiting trial in Illinois where he is facing a separate set of sexual abuse allegations. Kelly is currently being held in the Metropolitan Correctional Center in Chicago.