The woman who posted bond for R. Kelly wants her $100,000 back – but a judge said no
Earlier this year, Valencia Love put up $100,000 of her own money to help her friend get out of jail. That friend was R. Kelly. Now, Love wants her money back, but a judge has denied her request.
R. Kelly posted bond with Love's $100,000 after he was arrested in February on sexual assault and sexual abuse charges, CBS Chicago reports. Love paid the required 10% of Kelly's $1 million bond to get him out of jail.
However, investigators were looking into additional allegations against Kelly at the time and in July, federal prosecutors in Chicago and New York brought new charges against him.
Kelly is now back in jail, being held without bail. Love's attorney, John Collins, says his client was unaware of additional investigations against Kelly when she posted his bond.
"There's been a substantial change of circumstances," Collins said, according to CBS Chicago. "In this instance, he's held no bond, so the purposes of the bond are frustrated in Illinois." Collins argued that with Kelly back in jail, being held with no bond, there is no reason for the courts to keep Love's money.
However, Judge Lawrence Flood says Love signed a bond slip acknowledging that she could lose her money — even if Kelly met the conditions of his bond. A judge could order that bond money be used to pay attorney's fees, court costs and fines. So Flood ruled Love will not get her 100 grand back.
After new federal charges were brought against Kelly in July, Cook County prosecutors asked for an increase in Kelly's original bond. But Flood denied that request at a hearing on Tuesday, noting Kelly already is being held without bail on the federal charges.
"It's kind of a moot point," Flood said. "If there's a change in circumstances, and he is somehow released from custody, and you want to bring it back before me, I'll take a look at it at that time."
Kelly is facing two separate hearings — one in December for the charges brought against him in Cook County, and another in April for the federal sex crime charges, CBS Chicago reports.
The federal indictment charges Kelly with 13 felony counts — including child pornography, enticement of a minor to engage in criminal sexual activity, and obstruction of justice.