R. Kelly Appeals to the Supreme Court to Overturn Convictions

R. Kelly is seeking the intervention of the United States Supreme Court to overturn his convictions for possession of child pornography and inducing minors to engage in sexual acts. His legal team argues that the alleged offenses took place decades ago and should be dismissed under the statute of limitations.

In 2020, R. Kelly faced accusations of possessing child pornography and engaging in sexual acts with underage girls during the mid to late 1990s. Kelly's defense contended that the statute of limitations had expired on these charges. However, the prosecution argued that a 2003 law known as the PROTECT Act rendered the statute of limitations indefinite for child sex crimes.

The crux of Kelly's appeal lies in the interpretation of the PROTECT Act. His attorney, Jennifer Bonjean, contends that since the actions for which Kelly is currently serving time occurred in the 1990s, the expanded statute of limitations introduced by the PROTECT Act should not apply to his case. 

The Act, passed in 2003, indefinitely extends the statute of limitations for crimes committed after its enactment. Notably, Congress did not include a provision for retroactive application to offenses committed before 2003.

Back in 2020, Kelly was convicted on six out of thirteen counts—three related to child pornography and three to inducement. He was sentenced to 20 years in prison and ordered to pay significant damages to his alleged victims.

The Supreme Court is expected to decide in the coming months whether to take up Kelly's appeal. This decision will determine if his convictions will be reviewed under the argument that the statute of limitations had indeed expired by the time the charges were brought against him.