Attorney Michael Avenatti To R. Kelly: 'Don't Ever Count On Ever Getting Out Of Prison'
CHICAGO (CBS) -- The attorney representing two alleged victims of singer R. Kelly, and one in the grand jury indictment handed down against the singer on Friday, said he is confident the man accused of multiple sex crimes against minors will face justice and be sentenced for his alleged crimes.
"It's high time you face justice and don't count on ever getting out of prison,"said attorney Michael Avenatti to Kelly. "He will rightfully die in prison in Illinois or somewhere else in America."
In a news conference in Chicago, Avenatti said he was representing six people: Two victims, two parents, and two whistle-blowers who were said to be part of Kelly's inner circle for at least 25 years.
On Friday, Kelly was charged in Cook County with 10 counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse. Cook County State's Attorney Kim Foxx said Kelly was indicted on charges of sexually abusing four victims. The charges date back as far as 1998. Illinois has no statute of limitations on child sex abuse charges.
Avenatti said his investigation into abuse allegations against Kelly began last April. That's when he said they uncovered a video of over 40 minutes long and brought it to the attention of Foxx.
RELATED: R. Kelly Charged With Sexually Abusing Four Victims, Including Three Minors
"There is no question whether R. Kelly was in video," Avenatti said who added that the video was shot in 1999 and depicts two separate scenes on separate days at Kelly's residence, and that the video is much more clear than the one presented at the 2008 trial where he was acquitted on child pornography charges.
Avenatti described details of the tape he has in his possession, including that Kelly referenced the girl's age as 14 at least 10 times on the video, that he allegedly made her watch pornography featuring Kelly.
"R. Kelly stops what he's doing and adjusts the camera angle, changing direction of shot, zooming in," said Avenatti. "No question he knew exactly what he was doing."
The tape, which Avenatti said shows graphic sex acts - including the singer allegedly urinating on the girl - was turned over to Foxx earlier this month and since then, his team has provided information to the Cook County State's Attorney's Office but admitted his investigation is ongoing.
The attorney said he is aware of two other tapes featuring Kelly. One is in his possession and he is still working on getting the other one.
"Today marks a watershed moment in the 25 years of abuse by this predator known as R. Kelly. And his enablers took a course of action to abuse young girls. Girls that many would not listen to. Girls that came from tough times, tough neighborhoods," Avenatti said who also directed his anger at the people in Kelly's circle who he said turned a blind eye to the alleged abuse.
"I will not rest until each of you is brought to justice. Mr. Kelly did not do this alone. It was all in the interest of money," Avenatti said.
