Multiple women have testified anonymously in the R. Kelly trial. The most recent testimony came from Jane Doe No. 5. She describes the mental and physical assault she faced at the hands of the R&B singer at just age 17.
The now 23-year-old woman says that Kelly forced her to do things sexually she did not want to do because he had a video of her being forced to lie and say her father sexually molested her as a child. Kelly threatened that if she ever told someone, he would release the video. She went on to say that she met the Chicago native when she was in the 11th grade at one of his shows in Orlando in 2015. She says he told her she could sing for him if she performed oral sex on him first. She said they had a sexual relationship through the summer, and when school was back in session for her senior year, she moved in with Kelly in Chicago, who had her take online classes. While living with him, she says he controlled what she wore and ate, and always had to call him “Daddy”. She says he also made her travel with him, and have sex with other women against her will. She said he had rules they had to follow, and she read them aloud for the court.
“Trust daddy and do whatever he says, whatever he says, with no rebuttal, disrespect or rebellion. Remember how I acted in the beginning, bubbly and like a child, pure and with no negative intentions, and remember to stay true to who I am, humble, happy, innocent and beautiful to daddy, reminding him of his mother and child. Tell daddy everything so he will not have to wonder and figure out what is going on with me.”
Kelly, whose real name is Robert Kelly, is facing four counts of violating the Mann Act, which prohibits taking minors across state lines for the purpose of prostitution, and one count of racketeering. Since Jane Doe testifies Kelly did have sex with her when she was 17, it constitutes rape in Florida and California.
The woman described the physical abuse, recalling a time where Kelly physically beat her several times, including one time with his Air Force One sneaker. She said through tears that she ran through the house trying to get away from Kelly as he punched her and hit her with the sneaker. “I was trying to run from him and fight back, but I’m literally no match,”. Jane Doe also described how he punished her in several ways for not abiding by his strict rules, including spankings that “would leave bruises.” Another time, she said, he punished her by making her smear feces on her face and in her mouth as he recorded her.
She also gave an emotional testimony about contracting Herpes from him. The pain was so unbearable during the first flare-up, she said, that she “couldn’t even physically walk.” “I felt that this man had purposely given me something that he knew he had, a situation that he could have controlled,” she said through tears.
Later in the trial Doe says she got pregnant in 2017, and Kelly forced her to get an abortion. She testified that her experience is similar to that of Aaliyah’s, whom Kelly married when she was just 15 with the aid of a fake ID. Doe also testified Monday that the marriage occurred so that Aaliyah could get an abortion with his legal consent.
On Tuesday, cross examination occurred and of course the Defense team questioned her about staying with Kelly, despite police showing up to check on her well being. Court TV has full coverage of the cross examination in the trial below.
If you watched ‘Surviving R. Kelly’ on Lifetime, you can put together who Jane Doe no 5 is. She also spoke out publicly saying she would testify no matter the backlash.
We will keep you updated as this trial continues.
