Azriel Clary one of R. Kelly’s former girlfriends and alleged victims is determined to testify against him in his federal sex crimes case.
via: AceShowbiz
Despite receiving harassment from the singer’s fans, the ex-girlfriend of the “I Believe I Can Fly” hitmaker has vowed to testify against him in his sex trafficking trial.
Per TMZ’s report, Azriel’s father Angelo made it clear that “nobody’s forcing his daughter to testify” and it’s her own decision. Angelo further stressed that his daughter “wants to do it for the sake of justice and to show what a monster he truly is.”
Angelo also opened up to the publication that Azriel and his family have been the subject of numerous online threats and attacks. He went on to claim that there are some people posting their contact information and even harassing them at work.
Azriel’s father further explained that though his daughter’s stress level is “high” as she is currently preparing for her testimony and facing threats, she “will not back down.” Azriel will show up in court around next week, according to the site.
Back in April, R. Kelly’s friend Michael Williams pleaded guilty to trying to silence Azriel in the R&B singer’s racketeering case by setting her SUV on fire. Michael destroyed the vehicle in 2020. The car was rented by the woman’s father and parked in front of the Kissimmee, Florida, home where she and her family were staying.
R. Kelly was accused of racketeering, sexual abuse and bribery in a string of allegations dating back more than 20 years. If he’s found guilty, the “Step in the Name of Love” hitmaker will stay behind bars for decades.
On Wednesday, August 18, the first witness in his trial, Jerhonda Johnson Pace, told a judge in a Brooklyn court that R. Kelly knew she was underage in 2009 when they had sexual intercourse in Chicago, where the age of consent is 17. “I felt uncomfortable. I felt like it wasn’t right, that I should tell him my age,” she shared.
Jerhonda continued, “He asked me, ‘What is that supposed to mean?’ and told me to tell everyone I was 19 and to act 21.” She also revealed that the musician demanded she wore her hair in pigtails and “dress like a girl scout” at the time.
The trial is expected to last about one month and will include testimony from female accusers and at least one male accuser. In addition to his Brooklyn trial, the “Ignition” artist still faces sex-related charges in Illinois and Minnesota, where he has also pleaded not guilty.
Anyone who’s seen ‘Surviving R. Kelly’ knows what Azriel and her family have gone through.
