Closing arguments are under way at R Kelly’s abuse trial in New York, after the singer decided not to testify in court.
Warning: This article contains references to alleged sexual assault and abuse.
Kelly vehemently denies racketeering and other charges accusing him of sexually abusing women, girls, and boys during the course of his 30-year-career.
Image: The jury in R Kelly’s abuse trial has been sent out to deliberate. Pic: Reuters
The defence only called a handful of witnesses across two days, compared to the dozens called by the prosecution in the previous weeks of the trial.
Kelly, 54, said on the record he would not testify at his own trial, as is his right, which would have put him in the witness box and available for cross-examination by lawyers.
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The prosecution, led by assistant US attorney Elizabeth Geddes, said in closing the government had proved Kelly had told those around him to target, groom and exploit girls, boys and young women for his own sexual gratification.
Six weeks of testimony from more than 45 witnesses and other evidence “showed he did just that”, she said.
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Ms Geddes added that Kelly ruled his enablers with an iron fist, meaning he could get away with sexually abusing his victims.
Speaking to the jury, she said that the R&B singer’s assistants, drivers, bodyguards, and others employed by him made up a criminal enterprise, which resulted in the federal racketeering charges against him.
Image: R Kelly listens in as the final closing arguments are made in his trial. Pic: Reuters
“The defendant set rules, lots of them, and he demanded complete obedience,” she said, adding that meant “for many years, what happened in the defendant’s world stayed in the defendant’s world – but no longer”.
Ms Geddes said that Kelly had hid his crimes in “plain sight” by wielding his “money and public persona”.
A lawyer for Kelly is expected to also present a closing argument.
Image: Assistant US Attorney Elizabeth Geddes, at the bottom of the drawing, has presented her closing arguments to court. Pic: AP
On Tuesday, artist Da-Ni spoke as a defence witness, and claimed he had known Kelly since 2005, saying he shadowed him in the studio and at concerts, in order to “observe, learn and become.”
He told the court that he had never seen illicit activity by the singer towards the alleged victims.
Other defence witnesses made similar claims, with lawyers attempting to paint the alleged victims as star-struck fans whose relationships with Kelly did not work out.
Kelly was also accused in court of marrying the singer Aaliyah when she was just 15, with claims that a former manager obtained a fake ID to make the wedding happen.
A man has been found dead “in a pool of blood” at the Burning Man festival in Nevada, officials say.
The man’s body, described as a white adult, was found “lying on the ground” after 9pm on Saturday at the art and music festival in the Black Rock Desert, roughly 110 miles north of Reno, the Pershing County Sheriff’s Office said.
They said he was discovered while the festival’s large wooden effigy of a man at the centre of the festival was engulfed in flames – a tradition during the annual event.
Officials said a festival goer flagged down a sheriff’s deputy and reported seeing “a male subject lying in a pool of blood”.
The sheriff’s office set up a perimeter at the scene and has been treating it as a homicide, interviewing several participants.
The body, which has not been identified, was taken to a medical examiner’s office, while the festival continues until 6pm local time on Monday (2am Tuesday UK time).
“Although this act appears to be a singular crime, all participants should always be vigilant of their surroundings and acquaintances,” the sheriff’s office said.
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Officials say the crime scene is being preserved, but that the case is a “complicated investigation” as the makeshift Black Rock City where the event is located will be gone by the middle of the week.
Burning Man organisers said they were cooperating with law enforcement and asked participants not to interfere with their investigation.
“The safety and well-being of our community are paramount,” their statement said, adding that support services, including a crisis support team, were available and participants had access to free Wi-Fi if they need to communicate with loved ones.
Burning Man is a celebration of self-expression that culminates in the ceremonial burning of its towering 40ft effigy.
Its origins can be traced back to the incineration of an eight-foot wooden “man” on San Francisco’s Baker Beach in 1986, which eventually evolved into an annual gathering in the Black Rock Desert.
Hollywood star Rupert Everett has been working behind the bar of his village pub in a bid to keep the doors open.
Everett, known for his roles in Another Country and My Best Friend’s Wedding, has joined a roster of volunteers working to save The Swan, a local pub in Enford, Wiltshire, that is currently under threat of closure.
The pub is staffed by a rotation of 30 people after it was initially closed when the previous licensee left.
“There has been an amazing effort by our community to keep this pub open,” said the 66-year-old Shrek voice actor.
“Times are hard for rural pubs and this is the heart and hub of the village. I think that it is important to express my support. I have recently joined CAMRA – the Campaign for Real Ale – as I know that real ale is the lifeblood of pubs both locally and nationally.
“Our small local breweries need our help, cask ale must survive – it is almost a uniquely British tradition.”
Steve Stringer, secretary of the Salisbury and South Wiltshire branch of CAMRA and an Enford resident, told local media: “I am excited that Rupert has chosen to support the campaign.
“As a lover of cask ales, it is only natural that he wishes to join us and to see him behind the bar serving the locals, shows his solidarity with the community effort.”
Coldplay have rescheduled the final two dates of their 10-show run at Wembley Stadium because of strike action on the London Underground.
Rail, Maritime And Transport (RMT) union walkouts next Sunday and Monday make it impossible for fans to get to and from the venue safely, the band said in a statement.
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The completion of their Wembley run will see Coldplay become the first act to play 10 dates at the national football stadium in the same year, knocking current joint record holders Taylor Swift and Take That from the top spot.
Both Swift and Take That have played eight Wembley shows in a single year.
Industrial action on the Tube will take place at different times from 5 September for seven days, impacting Coldplay’s gigs – which are part of the band’s eco-friendly Music Of The Spheres world tour – on 7 and 8 September.
A statement from the band posted on social media read: “We’re sorry to announce that, due to planned industrial action on the London Underground, we’ve been forced to reschedule our final two concerts of the current Wembley Stadium run.
“Without a Tube service, it’s impossible to get 82,000 people to the concert and home again safely, and therefore no event licence can be granted for the nights of 7th and 8th September.
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“To avoid cancelling the shows, our only option is to reschedule.”
They said the show on 7 September would move to 6 September and the show on 8 September would move to 12 September.
The band added: “We’re very sorry for the inevitable disappointment, frustration and inconvenience that this situation causes.”
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Coldplay said tickets would remain valid for their rescheduled date, but any fans who are unable to attend their rescheduled show can get a full refund on their ticket from their point of purchase before noon on 2 September.
Returned tickets are to go on general sale at 11am on 3 September via Ticketmaster.
The band confirmed shows on 30 and 31 August, and 3 September and 4 September would go ahead as scheduled.
Some 10% of the band’s proceeds from the Wembley shows will be donated to the Music Venue Trust to help support grassroots UK venues and upcoming artists.
Fronted by Chris Martin, Coldplay formed in 1997, and have gone on to achieve two UK number one singles and 10 UK number one albums. They are best known for songs such as Yellow, Fix You, A Sky Full Of Stars and Viva La Vida.