Judge Postpones Issue Of Increasing Kelly's Bond Because He Was A No Show In Court
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Cook County prosecutors are proceeding with sexual abuse cases against R. Kelly despite federal charges the R&B superstar is facing.
Prosecutors are asking for an increase in Kelly's bond, but in court Thursday morning prosecutors said Kelly, who is currently in the custody of United States Marshals, "refused transport" to court.
Kelly's attorney said that was not accurate. However, he declined to discuss the situation in open court.
Kelly faces more than 20 charges of sexual abuse and sexual assault in Cook County.
Last month he was also charged with 18 federal counts spanning two jurisdictions and ranging from child pornography and obstruction of justice to racketeering.
Judge Lawrence Flood said Kelly should have been in court and needs to appear at the next hearing.
"He has to be here," he said. "First of all, there's due process issues. He's in custody. We have sheriffs here. If there's any issue regarding some inability to bring him here, they better come in and tell me what it is."
Kelly's attorney did not want to proceed with the case until federal charges have been resolved.
"The cases are terribly intertwined, and these cases shouldn't proceed until those [federal] cases are resolved," he said.
But the judge in the case said he is not going to "drag these cases out."
He said he will proceed with business as usual because prosecutors say that their cases involve victims who are not included in the federal indictment.
Kelly's next hearing is Sept. 17, and the singer is required to be there.
He has pleaded not guilty to all charges.
