Federal prosecutors in New York filed more than 150 pages in legal briefs late Monday defending the Chicago-based singer R. Kelly’s conviction last year on racketeering charges, arguing the evidence of his sexual misdeeds was overwhelming and that jurors were properly vetted for any potential bias.
The filings were a response to motions by Kelly’s attorney last month alleging prosecutors misused a federal statute meant to go after gang leaders and that Kelly’s ineffective lawyers failed to keep jurors off the panel who’d been tainted by what they’d seen or read about Kelly’s exploits.
Kelly, 54, was convicted Sept. 27 in U.S. District Court in Brooklyn on racketeering conspiracy charges alleging he used his music career to further a criminal enterprise.
