R. Kelly’s former live-in girlfriends were allegedly prevented from watching the “Surviving R. Kelly” docuseries as well as any other program that mentioned the sexual allegations against him. In fact, during a recent court hearing, a survivor claimed that the girls couldn’t watch the conversation with Gayle King and his ex-girlfriends Joycelyn Savage and Azriel Clary — an interview he supposedly did his best to control from behind the scenes.
On Tuesday (Aug. 24), a victim identified as Jane Doe said that Kelly prepared the two woman for their interview and stayed in the room to ensure that they stayed “on script” and “backed his denials.” The singer, she claimed, signaled the woman by coughing.
Doe’s own interaction with Kelly started in 2015 when she met the then 48-year-old at one of his concerts. At the time, she was a 17-year-old aspiring artist who was promised help with her music career. Unfortunately, she claimed, no progress was made toward her professional goals.
Instead, Doe revealed that she was under the control of Kelly, who often forced her to have sexual interactions with a man nicknamed “Nephew,” who he allegedly groomed at a young age. Though she insisted that she “never” wanted to have sex with him, she testified that Kelly told her to sexually please the man multiple times throughout their five-year relationship, noting that the requirement was a form of punishment.
Doe is the second woman to testify during the singer during his trial in Brooklyn, New York. Last week, Jerhonda Pace took the stand, and reports say Clary — who broke up with the singer after her King interview — plans to share her testimony at another time.
Kelly faces multiple charges of sex-trafficking and racketeering involving six women. He has consistently maintained his innocence.