John Eaves, a county commissioner in Georgia, has called for a full criminal investigation into the mounting accusations against R Kelly, who is alleged to be holding young women against their will as part of a “cult” in a “guest house” in Georgia and at his Chicago recording studio.
Eaves, a Fulton County Commissioner who is currently running for mayor of Atlanta, revealed on Friday that a file produced by the Johns Creek Police Department had been passed on to the district attorney, who he urged to “investigate the matter and leave no stone unturned“.
Today, I am asking District Attorney Paul Howard and his investigative officers and prosecutors to fully review the report of the John Creek Police and follow every lead — no matter where it leads, or who it implicates — and bring those persons to swift justice.
We will not allow our young girls and young women to be preyed upon by predators or anyone who aims to brainwash and strip them of their human dignity and their right to be free.
In the chilling initial report from Buzzfeed, former friends of Kelly said that he “controls every aspect of [the women’s] lives: dictating what they eat, how they dress, when they bathe, when they sleep, and how they engage in sexual encounters that he records“.
Earlier this month, the Fulton County’s Board of Commissioners said that they wanted to ban R Kelly from performing a concert in College Park in Georgia on 25 August after community concerns were raised.
Live Nation, who have exclusive rights to program the venue, said the show would proceed as scheduled, even as Kelly cancelled tour dates in Louisiana and Texas.
Kelly has denied all allegations against him. In a statement released yesterday, his lawyers said:
The Board made it clear last week that they wish to prevent Mr. Kelly’s Atlanta-area concert, though they do not have the authority to do so and are contractually obligated to honour their own agreements.
Today, the Board chairman tried again to interfere with the concert and assist others in that effort by calling for an investigation after proper authorities, who actually in possession of the facts, had stated just last week that they looked into the allegations and launched no investigation.
The allegations against Mr. Kelly are false and ill-motived. He again denies any and all wrongdoing.
It is unlawful for the government to interfere with the right of its citizens to lawfully do business, and public servants should not target individual citizens for their own politically motivated purposes. Mr. Kelly’s fans are looking forward to his August 25th show and he will be there as scheduled.
The district attorney has acknowledged receipt of the file, and will review it before they “proceed appropriately“.
