Musician R Kelly has pleaded not guilty to 10 charges of aggravated criminal sexual abuse against four females, three of whom were minors at the time.
R Kelly during booking at a police station in Chicago. Photo: AP / Chicago Police Department
His lawyer entered the plea for the R&B star, who appeared in the Chicago court dressed in an orange jumpsuit.
The 52-year-old turned himself in to authorities on Friday after an arrest warrant was issued.
He has faced decades of sexual abuse claims without being convicted, and has denied all previous allegations.
His court appearance and plea comes weeks after the documentary series Surviving R Kelly aired. It contained allegations of abuse from many women including the star's former wife.
The court ordered the singer, whose real name is Robert Sylvester Kelly, to surrender his passport and to have no contact with anyone under the age of 18.
He has reportedly struggled to pay the $100,000 bail required to leave Cook County Jail.
R Kelly is next scheduled to appear in court on 22 March.
In this courtroom sketch, R&B singer R Kelly, attorney Steve Greenberg and prosecutor Jennifer Gonzalez appears before Cook County Judge John Fitzgerald Lyke Jr. at the Leighton Criminal Courthouse. Photo: AP
Lawyer says he's turned over second R Kelly video
Attorney Michael Avenatti said his legal team has turned over to prosecutors a second video that he alleges shows R&B singer R Kelly sexually abusing a minor.
Mr Avenatti, who represents two Kelly victims, previously gave prosecutors video evidence of what he said showed the singer having sex with an underage girl. He told reporters Monday that the second video also involved a 14-year-old girl, was about 55 minutes long and was from 1999 or 2000. He did not say if it was the same 14-year-old girl who he alleged was in the first video he turned over to the authorities.
The attorney said he has learned of a third tape but did not provide details about it.
Kelly's lawyer pleaded not guilty on his behalf Monday to 10 counts of aggravated sexual abuse involving four females, including three who were underage when prosecutors allege that the abuse occurred. Kelly, who was acquitted of child pornography charges in 2008, has denied wrongdoing and his attorney says he's confident the singer will be vindicated.
- AP / BBC
