R. Kelly’s Cameras, Control, and a Former Girlfriend’s Tale
One week into the high‑profile trial, a woman who has never made her name public—referred to only as Jane Doe No. 5—took the jury’s time to describe what she endured while in a five‑year relationship with R. Kelly.
Controlling Every Move
- Kelly checked her phone constantly, making sure she never texted friends about their drama.
- He’d “chastise” her for disobedience, sometimes spanking her hard enough that bruises rained out and skin tore.
- According to Jane, “I would get chastised every two or three days.”
When “Pregnancy” Raised the Stakes
In 2017, Kelly instructed Jane to abort a pregnancy she didn’t want—an order that she claims was coercive and added to the tangle of abuse.
Julia’s Journey: From Festivals to Fright
- It all started at an Orlando festival, where she was an ambitious high‑school junior aspiring to be a singer.
- Kelly, showing “a lot of attention,” slipped her a phone number courtesy of his entourage.
- He asked her to meet at a hotel for an audition—only after she performed oral sex first.
- From then on, Jane traveled with Kelly across the country, while an assistant arranged flights and a recording device—an iPad—captured every encounter.
Everyday Rules of the “Daddy” Club
He set a litany of rules:
- Every action—whether walking to a restroom or grabbing a snack—needed his approval.
- When he entered a room, she had to kiss him and call him “Daddy.”
A Health Storm
During a painful encounter, Jane developed herpes. She described it as an incredibly grievous, crippling pain that left her feeling devastated—an episode her told the jury with tears streaming down her face.
Her ex‑lover’s reaction was oddly dismissive: “Everyone has it.”
Violence Escalated
According to Jane:
- He slapped her one summer after she turned 17.
- He suggested she skip the final year of school and live with him in Chicago, and then had her parents place her under the care of a woman he trusted.
- Physical abuse escalated to him beating her with a sneaker for texting about their relationship.
- She witnessed him assaulting other girlfriends and even forced her to film a video of herself smearing feces on her own face.
Full Trial Context
Kelly is 54, the singer of historic hits such as I Believe I Can Fly and Bump N Grind, and has pleaded not guilty to a nine‑count racketeering indictment that alleges mistreatment of six women and girls—including the late star Aaliyah.
The trial, which is expected to go on for several weeks, could see him face life in prison if found guilty.
He also faces additional sex‑related charges in Illinois and Minnesota, many of which were highlighted in the 2019 Lifetime documentary Surviving R. Kelly.
