Current Events > R.Kelly's attorneys ask to quit, citing that the prosecution is trying too hard.

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Two of R. Kelly's attorneys have requested to withdraw from the star's counsel.
Mike Leonardo and Steven Greenberg confirmed to Fox News on Monday that they have asked a New York judge to allow them to step aside in the case.

In a letter obtained by the Chicago Sun-Times written by Greenberg to Judge Ann Donnelly, the Chicago-based attorney said that should the court deem it fit, he and Leonardo would stand "as effective stand-by counsel."

"While we recognize that this request comes close to trial and we are ready to proceed to trial as scheduled in August our reasons for withdrawal are significant and it is impossible, in our belief, for us to be able to continue to properly represent Mr. Kelly under the current circumstances," he said.

"The government was advised of our position and reasons in a phone call," Greenberg continued. "We are requesting that the court set our request for hearing."

"Ultimately, as trial lawyers and in the interests of the client, we werent comfortable professionally with allowing lawyers who have never tried federal criminal cases to have significant trial responsibilities," the attorney told the Sun-Times. "That approach was not to everyones liking."

Echoed Leonard: "Ultimately, as trial lawyers and in the interests of the client, we were only comfortable professionally with giving significant trial responsibilities to those who have substantial federal criminal jury trial experience. We wish Mr. Kelly nothing but the greatest success."

"They are trying so hard to get #Rkelly that they are using a 60 year old law that has never been used before, against anyone," he tweeted last week.

Kelly's remaining attorneys Thomas Farinella, Douglas Anton and Nicole Becker all shared the same statement in response with Fox News: "The only comment we have at this time is that Mr. Kelly terminated both lawyers prior to filing their motion."

Greenberg and Leonard, however, both told Fox News that they "were not" terminated by the R&B singer.

Prosecutors in Brooklyn allege Kelly led an enterprise made up of his managers, bodyguards and other employees who helped him recruit women and girls for sex. A jury is expected to hear testimony from alleged victims, each identified in court papers only as "Jane Doe."

Born Robert Sylvester Kelly, the three-time Grammy Award-winner has pleaded not guilty to multiple federal and state charges, including child sexual exploitation, child pornography production, kidnapping, forced labor, racketeering and obstruction of justice.
Three alleged accomplices have been charged by prosecutors and are accused of threatening and intimidating people that have accused Kelly of committing crimes.

In April, U.S. District Judge Ann Donnelly gave the green light to move the star from Chicago to New York ahead of his August trial.

Full Article: https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/r-kelly-attorneys-request-withdraw-from-counsel-impossible-properly-represent

https://getyarn.io/yarn-clip/cd5c9238-975a-46db-9970-cb36dd0e07f1

Yeah I don't buy that 2 lawyers who were fired just before a case would then then pretend not to be and go public asking if they could quit because the case is too hard and they're not up to it. That's pointlessly harming their own reputations.

Pretending they were already fired is just damage control for Kelly's already shoddy case.

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Now that is amusing

Is this a hyper IQ delay attempt?

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Fucking try hards imagine being this sweaty /s

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UnfairRepresent posted...

"They are trying so hard to get #Rkelly that they are using a 60 year old law that has never been used before, against anyone," he tweeted last week.

This can't be true, can it? If something has been a law for 60 years and has never once been used, why the hell is it a law in the first place?

Not knowing the facts of the case at all I'd say it's at least possible in the sense that you would be surprised the weird laws still on the books in places that you don't know about and nobody every enforces

Google it and laugh it's an endless rabbit hole of weird laws

But yeah he could also be full of it I just ended up in this topic randomly

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It's likely they realised the evidence against him and decided not to have their careers go down in flames.

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008Zulu posted...

It's likely they realised the evidence against him and decided not to have their careers go down in flames.

Eh

I don't think a defense attorney losing a case is that bad for their careers.

It's more harmful for the prosecution to the lose the case, which is one of the reasons why the system is so screwy.

There are several accounts of prosecutors knowingly putting people they know to be innocent behind bars because the defense screwed up and they go "Well just doing my job!"

Like Alan Gell or Jeremeny Baine.

Guy accused of rape was literally sitting in a prison cell for car theft at the time the rape occured. The prosecution knew that and prosecuted him anyway. The DNA evidence that the sperm wasn't his was ruled as inadmissiable. Ended up being in prison for decades before being exorerated.

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Tldr, why would an attorney ask to quit, Im sure he could just quit w/o asking

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R1masher posted...

Tldr, why would an attorney ask to quit, Im sure he could just quit w/o asking

No you can't just drop your client and walk off in the middle of a case just before trial you need a reason and permission from the judge because you've just fucked up the entire system.and schedule

This has come up several times.

Famously in the Trial of the Chicago 7, the black Panther guy's lawyer was sick in hospital.

The judge refused to delay the case and insisted the other defendants' defense attorney would have to represent him as well

Both he and the attorney opposed this but the trial went ahead anyway and was a total farce

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Hes a lawyer, Im sure he could site joe vs gabe or something

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