"Surviving R. Kelly": Chicago State's Attorney asks for alleged victims to come forward about R. Kelly
Chicago's top prosecutor is asking possible alleged victims of sexual assault or domestic violence by singer R. Kelly to come forward after the "deeply, deeply disturbing" allegations outlined in the Lifetime docu-series "Surviving R. Kelly." "In order to have an investigation ... we have to have victims and witnesses who are willing to come forth with whatever information that they have," said Cook County State's Attorney Kim Foxx.
"I'm here today to encourage victims of sexual assault or domestic violence related to these allegations to please get in touch with our office," Foxx said at a press conference Tuesday.
The docu-series, which aired on Lifetime last week, features 50 interviews, including accuser Jerhonda Pace; the parents of one of Kelly's alleged victims; Kelly's ex-wife, Andrea Kelly; ex-girlfriend Kitti Jones and brothers Carey and Bruce Kelly.
Foxx said she has seen some of the docu-series, CBS Chicago reports.
"I was sickened," she said. "I was sickened by the allegations. I was sickened as a survivor. I was sickened as a mother. I'm sickened as a prosecutor."
Foxx said she has been "in contact with" people who have information related to claims in Cook County.
She said she has been in contact with two concerned families of people who have had contact with Kelly in Cook County in the last couple of years. Foxx said some of those relatives are looking for their loved ones. She has not, however, been in touch with Kelly.
Kelly's attorney, Stephen Greenberg, called Foxx's urging that any victims call her office absurd.
Greenberg says the state's attorney shouldn't be soliciting cases, adding there are no current complaints and no evidence because it didn't happen.