R Kelly arrested again, hours after emotional TV interview
Singer R Kelly has been arrested for a second time in recent weeks – this time for failure to pay child support – hours after lashing out in a television interview against charges that he had sexually assaulted teenage girls.
Kelly was taken into custody in Chicago for owing more than $US161,000 ($A229,095) in child support to his three children with ex-wife Andrea Kelly.
The singer must pay the full amount to get out of jail, Cook County Sheriff’s spokesman Sam Randall said, following a court hearing over a Wednesday deadline for the money to be paid.
Tweet from @CBSThisMorning
Kelly’s next hearing in the child support case is on March 13. His next court date on the sex abuse charges is March 22.
Kelly, 52, pleaded not guilty in February to charges that he sexually assaulted three teenage girls and a fourth woman.
The charges were brought after seven women including his ex-wife, appeared on a Lifetime television documentary and accused him of emotional and sexual abuse.
He spent a weekend in jail on the sex charges before being released on $US100,000 bail on February 25.
Wednesday’s arrest came hours after CBS television aired parts of Kelly’s first interview since being charged, in which the singer tearfully and angrily rejected allegations that he had sex with underage girls.
“I have been assassinated. I have been buried alive,” the I Believe I Can Fly singer told This Morning co-host Gayle King, as he broke into tears.
King later posted images from her interview with Kelly to Instagram. “Let’s just say he has lots to discuss,” she wrote.
King also asked Kelly about allegations that he had sex with women under 18 and that he was physically and verbally abusive.
“Not true,” he responded.
King, who spoke to Kelly in Chicago, his hometown, then asked if he had held anyone against his will.
“I don’t need to. Why would I?” he said.
The singer grew angry and emotional as the interview went on, turning to make his argument directly to the camera. “That’s stupid. Use your common sense,” he said.
“Forget the blogs, forget how you feel about me,” Kelly added.
“Hate me if you want to, love me if you want. But just use your common sense. How stupid would it be for me, with my crazy past.”
Pounding his chest for emphasis, Kelly shouted, “I didn’t do this stuff!” His voice cracked and he broke into tears.
King had been staying calm and remaining seated as Kelly erupted.
On CBS This Morning on Wednesday (US time), she told her colleague she thought she might have been “accidentally clobbered” but never thought the singer would hit her.
“It wouldn’t do any good if we both got hysterical,” she said.
“I thought I might get accidentally clobbered, but I didn’t think he’d deliberately try to hurt me … I never felt in danger talking to him.”
Kelly, whose real name is Robert Sylvester Kelly, could face up to seven years in prison for each of the 10 counts if convicted.
-with AAP
