R Kelly has denied allegations of sexual abuse in his first public interview following his arrest last month, asserting, "I didn't do this stuff. This is not me." The singer, who is fighting charges of aggravated criminal sexual abuse, described the accusations as a personal battle for his reputation.
Chicago prosecutors filed 10 counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse against Kelly, alleging involvement with four victims, three of whom were minors. He has pleaded not guilty and remains out on bail, facing potential sentences of three to seven years per charge if convicted.
The case echoes a 2002 trial where Kelly was acquitted of 21 counts related to child pornography after a jury found insufficient evidence the woman in a sex tape was underage. During the interview, Kelly argued that past legal proceedings were being weaponized to bolster current accusations.
"They're going back to the past and trying to add all of this stuff now to make it feel real," he told CBS News' Gayle King. When pressed on the relevance of his 2002 case, Kelly insisted, "You can't double jeopardy me like that. When you beat your case, you beat your case."
He also rejected claims from the documentary Surviving R Kelly that he restrained women, confiscated phones, and isolated them from families. Emotionally pleading, Kelly asked, "How stupid would it be for me with my crazy past to hold girls against their will?" He later broke down, shouting, "Are you all trying to kill me?" as he defended his innocence.
