Drea Kelly appeared on Good Morning Britain this week to discuss the outcome of the sex crimes trial against her ex-husband R. Kelly, saying that her “heart is in two places” as a result of the guilty verdict handed down Monday (September 27). R. Kelly was found guilty of racketeering and sex trafficking, including 14 specific acts and eight counts of violating the Mann Act. Drea is “sad that it took this long,” but said that she has to “also wear the hat of a mother and an ex-wife,” unlike some of R. Kelly’s other victims.
“My heart definitely goes out to the survivors and the courage that it takes to come forward and tell the story,” she said, “But my heart breaks as a mother because this is now the legacy that my children will have to deal with and their children’s children. At the end of the day, you cannot walk away from your bloodline.”
She noted that she has the ability to more or less cut ties as the singer’s ex-wife, but that the former couple’s three adult children won’t have it so easy. “I have the ability to separate and kinda distance myself from it, but his blood runs through my children’s veins,” she said. “It’s part of their DNA and they couldn’t escape it even if they wanted to. So it’s very difficult for me to sit in that position.”
R. Kelly posted a statement on Facebook after the verdict was announced, writing, “To all my fans and supporters I love you all and thank you for all the support. Today’s verdict was disappointing and I will continue to prove my innocence and fight for my freedom.” Meanwhile, the prosecution in the trial produced a number of compelling witnesses who attested to Kelly violating the law by having fake ID made for Aaliyah so she couldn’t testify against him after a pregnancy scare, described specific sex acts committed by a 26-year-old Kelly on a 13-year-old Aaliyah, and recounted horrifying abuse at the singer’s hands.
A sentencing trial is set for May 4, 2022, as Kelly is set to go back to Chicago to face another trial on similar state charges.