A Chicago judge denied a woman’s request to have her money refunded after she posted bail for embattled singer R. Kelly.
The judge claimed Valencia Love had no legal basis to request her $100,000 back, according to a report published Wednesday by the Chicago Tribune.
DENIED: A judge in R. Kelly’s Illinois sexual assault case has refused to give $100,000 in bail money back to a Kelly friend who paid it in February to secure the singer’s release from county jail. https://t.co/9WkHiPJC9Z
— FOX 32 News (@fox32news) September 17, 2019
Love’s lawyer, however, argued that it didn’t make any sense for her money to be held while Kelly was denied bond in federal court. Love was “unaware of any additional ongoing investigations” when she posted bond for Kelly, the lawyers said. (RELATED: R. Kelly Indicted On Racketeering And Sexual Exploitation Of Children)
Prosecutors also took time to request that Kelly’s bond be increased. However, the motion was denied. The judge claimed increasing bail was a “moot point” because Kelly was already being held without bail in two federal cases.
Judge Won’t Increase R. Kelly’s Bond On Cook County Charges; Woman Who Posted Bail Can’t Get $100,000 Back https://t.co/OEgFY2C1o9 pic.twitter.com/686bxP3yqN
— CBS Chicago (@cbschicago) September 17, 2019
Kelly’s lawyers called the latest move by prosecutors another example of the “Ignition” singer being treated unfairly by the legal system.
“All we want is for R. Kelly to be treated like everyone else,” Steven Greenberg, Kelly’s lawyer, said. “And so far he’s been treated differently. There has been a rush to judgment.”
Kelly was indicted in two federal cases in Chicago and Brooklyn. The singer was denied bail.