NOTE: This article contains graphic, sexual language that some readers may find offensive and disturbing. Please read at your own discretion.
R. Kelly posted bail and was released from a Chicago jail on Monday evening.
Cook County Sheriff’s Office spokeswoman Sophia Ansari said Monday that Kelly posted his US$100,000 bail after spending the weekend in jail.
The R&B singer’s bail amount was 10 per cent of the $1-million bond set by a judge Saturday.
READ MORE: R. Kelly pleads not guilty as Michael Avenatti claims there’s a 2nd sex video
His release came three days after being booked on charges alleging that he sexually abused four women, including three who were minors at the time.
WATCH BELOW: R. Kelly pleaded not guilty, working to get bond together, lawyer says
The I Believe I Can Fly singer’s release Monday came hours after his lawyer pleaded not guilty on his behalf to all 10 counts of aggravated sexual abuse.
Kelly walked by a large media contingent without speaking and was ushered into a black vehicle that was waiting. The vehicle then drove off.
READ MORE: R. Kelly surrenders himself to police after 10 aggravated sexual abuse charges laid
The 52-year-old Grammy-award winner has denied wrongdoing and his lawyer has said he’s confident that Kelly will be vindicated.
The large, black van transporting Kelly from a jail in Chicago stopped in the parking lot of a large showcase McDonald’s in downtown Chicago.
The entertainer didn’t immediately emerge from the vehicle Monday evening but some members of his entourage stood outside the vehicle and a dark-colored Mercedes-Benz parked next to it.
According to the Chicago Sun-Times, several women sat on the hood of a car that was parked next to Kelly’s van. They were taking pictures and dancing after Kelly exited the fast food restaurant.
“R. Kelly’s first stop after getting out of jail is the McDonald’s in River North,” tweeted Sun-Times reporter Nader Issa. “Fans are playing his music in the parking lot.”
The McDonald’s, a popular tourist attraction, was known as Chicago’s Rock ‘n’ Roll McDonald’s before being remodelled and losing its music theme.
READ MORE: A look at allegations of sexual abuse against singer R. Kelly over the years
Kelly’s lawyer, Steve Greenberg, previously said Kelly’s confidants were making arrangements to pay his US$100,000 bail, but that coordinating the payment is complicated. He said Kelly could be released Monday or Tuesday.
“He has to rely on others acting on his behalf,” Greenberg said. “And it’s just not that easy — because Kelly’s in jail.”
WATCH BELOW: R. Kelly broke, but should be able to get bond money: lawyer
In arguing for bail within the singer’s ability to pay, Greenberg told a judge over the weekend that Kelly wasn’t wealthy despite decades of success creating hit songs. The lawyer blamed mismanagement, bad contracts and other issues for his client’s financial woes.
READ MORE: R. Kelly was acquitted in 2008. Here’s why the current case against him may be stronger
Kelly, who was acquitted of child pornography charges in 2008, has denied wrongdoing and his lawyer said he’s confident the singer will be vindicated.
Kelly broke into the R&B scene in 1993 with his first solo album, 12 Play, which produced such popular sex-themed songs as Bump N’ Grind and Your Body’s Callin’.
Months after those successes, the then-27-year-old Kelly faced allegations he married 15-year-old Aaliyah, the R&B star who later died in a plane crash in the Bahamas. Kelly was the lead songwriter and producer of Aaliyah’s 1994 debut album.
Kelly and Aaliyah never confirmed the marriage, though Vibe magazine published a copy of the purported marriage licence. Court documents later obtained by the Chicago Sun-Times showed Aaliyah admitted lying about her age on the licence.
Jim DeRogatis, a longtime music critic for the Chicago Sun-Times, played a key role in drawing the attention of law enforcement to Kelly. In 2002, he received the sex tape in the mail that was central to Kelly’s 2008 trial. He turned it over to prosecutors. In 2017, DeRogatis wrote a story for BuzzFeed about the allegations Kelly was holding women against their will in Georgia.
If you or someone you know is experiencing abuse or is involved in an abusive situation, please visit the Canadian Resource Centre for Victims of Crime for help. They are also reachable toll-free at 1-877-232-2610.
—With files from the Associated Press
Comments