The recent docuseries, Surviving R. Kelly, has many folks wondering if R. Kelly will be joining Bill Cosby in prison one day. Multiple state attorneys are looking into investigating possible charges against Kelly. Although a prior 2008 case involving 14 child pornography charges against Kelly was unsuccessful, this time may be different. It’s still too soon to tell if Kelly’s time is up. The docuseries helped to re-ignite the fire but the flame is still low for a prosecution or conviction of R. Kelly. The issues facing any prosecutor who investigates and brings charges against Kelly will be credibility of witnesses and victims, statute of limitations, solicitation of victims by the prosecutors, length of time to bring charges (assuming the statute has not tolled) and the popularity of R. Kelly. Unlike most of Bill Cosby’s victims, R. Kelly’s victims are African American and other women of color. A sexual assault case is always difficult to obtain a conviction. A sexual assault or rape … [Read more...] about R. Kelly is No Bill Cosby: He’s Worse
Archives for 2019
Cyntoia Brown: Justice Delayed and Denied
Today, Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam granted clemency to Cyntoia Brown, a former teen sex trafficking victim who received a life sentence at age 16 for killing a man who allegedly paid money to have sex with her. Brown was tried as an adult and had no chance of parole until she would have turned 61. Brown, now 30, after having served 15 years, will be released in August and must remain on parole for 10 years. Her case sparked the attention of the media with support by celebrities Rihanna, Ashley Judd and Kim Kardashian West. Cyntoia Brown did not receive a get out of jail free card. Her clemency conditions require that she remain on parole for 10 years. She will not be free of parole conditions until she turns 40. Clemency differs from a pardon. In clemency, an inmate’s sentence is reduced, usually with some conditions. In a pardon, a person’s conviction is completely wiped out. Today, we hear the pardon word being considered and thrown around like Frisbees in the cases of Trump … [Read more...] about Cyntoia Brown: Justice Delayed and Denied
2018- A Year of Sex, Lies, Guns and Trump
Every new year, we look back towards the past year to see the good, bad and ugly. If 2018 can be boiled down to a theme—it would be sex, lies, guns and Trump. Trump fits into all three categories. Guns were rampant again this year with no end in sight in terms of gun control. On February 26, 2018, in Parkland, Florida, one of the safest towns in the U.S. , a school gun shooting occurred and 17 persons died including teachers and students. This time may have been different than previous gun shootings in that it galvanized students to hold the March for Our Lives on March 25, 2018. It once again raised the issue of gun control. Like in so many times and years before, no meaningful gun legislation occurred. On June 29, five journalists were shot and killed at the Annapolis Gazette in Annapolis, MD. Throughout the Trump administration, Donald Trump has shouted chants that the media is the enemy of the state. Our constitution’s first amendment is freedom of the press. Yet, the … [Read more...] about 2018- A Year of Sex, Lies, Guns and Trump