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A new date has been set for R. Kelly‘s federal court trial for child pornography and obstruction charges in Chicago.
The singer was initially set to stand trial on April 27, 2021, but due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, the date has now been moved to September 13 next year, as The New York Times reports.
The report adds that U.S. District Judge Harry D. Leinenweber has admitted the date could be pushed back again due to continued COVID-19 concerns.
Kelly was first taken into custody in early 2019 on 10 charges of aggravated criminal sexual abuse. He was later arrested again in July that year, being indicted on 13 charges by federal officers.
In May, Kelly pleaded not guilty in New York to counts of sex trafficking and new allegations of abuse from an anonymous victim. As well as charges in Illinois, the state in which he is currently imprisoned, Kelly is also facing other charges in Minnesota.
Back in April, the singer’s lawyers first filed a motion for him to be released on bail from prison due to fears he would catch COVID-19 in prison, but the appeal was rejected, even after he launched a second separate bail appeal that same month.
Another attempt for release on bail was rejected in September, after reports emerged that Kelly had been physically assaulted in jail, with the singer’s lawyer saying: “Another inmate that had an issue with lockdown, got upset and simply attacked Robert.”
R. Kelly has always maintained that he is not guilty in regards to the accusations made against him.
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