Judge sets R Kelly’s bail at $1m after sex abuse charges
Singer told to hand over passport and avoid contact with alleged victims
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A judge has set bail for R Kelly at $1m (£760,000) after the singer was charged with 10 counts of criminal sexual abuse.
The R&B artist, whose legal name is Robert Kelly, was charged on Friday with sexually assaulting four people, including three teenagers.
Mr Kelly turned himself in to police on the same day, although he denies all the allegations against him.
The 52-year-old, who appeared in court on Saturday, was also ordered by the Cook County judge to turn over his passport and not to have contact with any of the alleged victims.
During the brief hearing, the judge called the allegations against the singer “disturbing”.
After the hearing, Mr Kelly’s attorney Steve Greenberg told reporters that his client did not force anyone to have sex.
“He’s a rock star. He doesn’t have to have nonconsensual sex,” Mr Greenberg said.
On Friday Mr Greenberg maintained his client’s innocence and said he thinks all of the women are “lying”.
According to Cook County state attorney Kimberly Foxx, three of the four victims were under the age of 17 at the time of the alleged abuse, which is said to back to 1998.
Each charge carries a maximum prison sentence of 10 years.
Mr Kelly is next due to appear in court on 25 February.
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