R. Kelly Appeals to Supreme Court to Overturn Sex Crime Conviction

R. Kelly has appealed to the United States Supreme Court to overturn his convictions for possession of child pornography and inducing minors to have sex. His legal team argues that the alleged acts occurred decades ago and should be dismissed based on the statute of limitations. They claim that the 2003 PROTECT Act, which extended the statute of limitations for child sex crimes, should not apply to Kelly's charges since his conduct took place in the 1990s, before the law was enacted.

Prosecutors counter that the PROTECT Act made the statute of limitations indefinite for child sex crimes, thereby validating the charges against Kelly despite the time elapsed. Kelly was convicted in 2020 on six counts, including three for child pornography and three for inducement, and was sentenced to 20 years in prison. The Supreme Court will decide in the coming months whether to hear Kelly's appeal.