Source: Chicago Tribune / Getty
Even R. Kelly‘s lawyers have had enough of the guy. A judge has allowed a couple of the disgraced singer’s lawyers to withdraw from representing him during his upcoming trial in Brooklyn for sex trafficking, amongst other charges.
On Thursday, July 15, U.S. District Judge Ann Donnelly granted a request from two of R. Kelly’s lawyers, Steve Greenberg and Michael Leonard, to be allowed to withdraw from the case. According to the Chicago Sun-Times, the singer’s team of lawyers have had a falling out, with Greenberg and Leonard telling the judge it was “impossible” for them to continue repping the “I Believe I Can Fly” crooner.
R. Kelly’s now-ex lawyers first made the request in June, and issued a statement to the press.
“Ultimately, as trial lawyers and in the interests of the client, we weren’t comfortable professionally with allowing lawyers who have never tried federal criminal cases to have significant trial responsibilities. That approach was not to everyone’s liking,” said Greenberg and Leonard. Reportedly, Kelly had already fired the pair of lawyers before they even filed their motion.
While the BK trial is on the horizon, Kelly is also facing charges in Chicago, where he’s under federal indictment for child pornography and obstruction of justice charges. Kelly is accused of threatening and paying off his alleged sexual abuse victims and their family members in order to keep them from testifying against him.
Kelly’s trial in Brooklyn federal court is scheduled to start on August 9 after undergoing multiple delays.
The Pied Piper has been in custody since 2019. All of his attempts at being granted bail and released prior to going to trial have been denied.
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