Last month, it was reported that R. Kelly didn’t show up to a sexual abuse hearing because he didn’t actually know he was supposed to be in court. His attorney said the reason for that is because the singer was overwhelmed, as he was in prison when he was served. Kelly’s attorneys later claimed that Kelly wasn’t fully aware of what was going on because he “suffers from a learning disability that adversely affects his ability to read,” clarifying that “in essence he cannot.”
Because Kelly didn’t show up, the judge made a default judgment in favor of his accuser. For the aforementioned reasons, though, Kelly’s legal team tried to have the original judgment vacated, so Kelly would have the opportunity to defend himself in court. Their efforts were apparently successful, as TMZ is reporting that the judgment has been vacated, so Kelly will have another chance to show up in court and argue the case on its merits.
Kelly’s attorneys Zaid Abdallah and Raed Shalabi said, “We’ve never been part of a criminal case where an alleged victim has filed a civil case during a criminal proceeding,” and called the opportunity for a do-over a “big win for Mr. Kelly.”
In other R. Kelly news, the backlash the singer has experienced following the Surviving R. Kelly film was chronicled in a new documentary, Surviving R. Kelly: The Impact.
