R. Kelly‘s legal team is hoping a Cook County judge will grant the singer permission to travel overseas and perform in order to pay off his child support fees.
According to the Chicago Tribune, the 52-year-old singer signed a contract prior to his recent arrest, which outlined Kelly would perform three to five shows in Dubai and travel by private jet. He’s slated to meet the royal family and the concert promoter is paying the expenses. Since being charged with 10 counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse, Kelly cannot leave Illinois and has handed over his passport.
The singer’s lawyer argues Kelly isn’t a flight risk and as an entertainer should be granted permission to still work in order to pay off his debt.
“Mr. Kelly has a job that requires he be allowed to travel,” Steven Greenberg argued in Wednesday’s court filing. “He cannot work, and consequently cannot make a living if he is confined to Illinois or even the United States.”
Greenberg noted Kelly isn’t a flight risk and appeared in court in 2008 when he faced child pornography charges. The singer was found not guilty in that case.
“Denying him the opportunity to work would be a hardship on his children,” Greenberg later wrote.
In January, Lifetime aired a searing docuseries titled Surviving R. Kelly, which detailed years of sexual assault allegations from several of his alleged victims including Lisa Van Allen and ex-wife Andrea Kelly.
Kelly reportedly owes $161,000 in child support and alleges to have fallen on hard times due to renewed attacks. Last month the Grammy-award winner was indicted on charges he abused three girls and one woman over the span of a decade. The singer vehemently denied the accusations and pled not guilty.
Greenberg also attacked State’s Attorney Kim Foxx’s intentions behind pursuing Kelly’s 10 counts.
“Most if not all of these allegations were all investigated years ago, and charges were not brought,” Greenberg wrote. “There is little if anything that has changed other than State’s Attorney’s desire to thrust herself into the spotlight of the #metoo movement.”