A federal judge on Thursday rejected a call from prosecutors to keep R. Kelly behind bars until he is 100, instead telling the Grammy Award-winning R&B singer he would serve all but one of his 20 years on child sex convictions simultaneously with a previous racketeering sentence.

Handed down in a courtoom in Kelly含羞草研究社檚 hometown of Chicago, the sentence means Kelly could make it out of prison alive, when he is about 80. Prosecutors had asked Judge Harry Leinenweber to sentence him to 25 years 含羞草研究社� and to not let him begin serving those until after he completed the first 30-year sentence, imposed on him last year in New York.

含羞草研究社淭he nature of this offense is 含羞草研究社� horrific,含羞草研究社� Leinenweber said in explaining the 20-year sentence. He noted that Kelly含羞草研究社檚 sexual abuse victims would suffer from his crimes for the rest of their lives.

At the same time, he accepted defense arguments that Kelly might not even make it to 80, so handing him a consecutive lengthy sentence, rather than allowing him to serve all but one year of it simultaneously, didn含羞草研究社檛 make much sense.

含羞草研究社淗e has a life expectancy of not a hell of a lot more,含羞草研究社� the judge said. 含羞草研究社淗e is 56 years of age.含羞草研究社�

Kelly含羞草研究社檚 defense lawyer celebated the ruling as a victory, and some of the singer含羞草研究社檚 fans could be heard cheering outside the courtroom.

Kelly remained still, his eyes downcast, as Leinenweber explained what was at times a hard-to-follow sentence. He did seem to show some emotion when a representative read a statement written by 含羞草研究社淛ane,含羞草研究社� one of his accusers and a key prosecution witness.

含羞草研究社淚 was brainwashed by Robert and a sex slave,含羞草研究社� Jane含羞草研究社檚 statement said. 含羞草研究社淚t almost killed me.含羞草研究社�

Kelly did not make a statement in court prior to the sentencing decision, heeding the advice of his lawyer, Jennifer Bonjean, to stay quiet while they appeal both his Chicago and New York convictions.

含羞草研究社淚t含羞草研究社檚 the right outcome,含羞草研究社� Bonjean said. 含羞草研究社淭he judge was reasonable. He, I think, took into account both sides and ultimately was fair.含羞草研究社�

The U.S. Attorney in Chicago, John Lausch, conceded that prosecutors were disappointed Kelly didn含羞草研究社檛 receive more consecutive prison time. But he added, 含羞草研究社淭wenty years is a significant sentence, and we are happy that that was imposed in this case.含羞草研究社�

The judge said at the outset of the hearing that he did not accept the government含羞草研究社檚 contention that Kelly used fear to woo underage girls for sex, a determination that was important in deciding whether to extend Kelly含羞草研究社檚 current term sigificantly.

含羞草研究社淭he (government含羞草研究社檚) whole theory of grooming, was sort of the opposite of fear of bodily harm,含羞草研究社� the judge told the court. 含羞草研究社淚t was the fear of lost love, lost affections (from Kelly)含羞草研究社�. 含羞草研究社� It just doesn含羞草研究社檛 seem to me that it rises to the fear of bodily harm.含羞草研究社�

Two of Kelly含羞草研究社檚 accusers asked the judge to punish him harshly.

含羞草研究社淲hen your virginity is taken by a pedophile at 14 含羞草研究社� your life is never your own,含羞草研究社� Jane含羞草研究社檚 statement read.

Another accuser, who used the pseudonym 含羞草研究社淣ia,含羞草研究社� addressed Kelly directly in court. Speaking forcefully as her voice quivered, Nia said Kelly would repeatedly point out her alleged faults while he abused her.

含羞草研究社淣ow you are here 含羞草研究社� because there is something wrong with you,含羞草研究社� she said. 含羞草研究社淣o longer will you be able to harm children.含羞草研究社�

Jurors in Chicago convicted Kelly last year on six of 13 counts: three of producing child porn and three of enticement of minors for sex. Prosecutors did not get a conviction on the marquee charge: that Kelly and his then-business manager successfully rigged his state child pornography trial in 2008.

Kelly rose from poverty in Chicago to become one of the world含羞草研究社檚 biggest R&B stars. Known for his smash hit 含羞草研究社淚 Believe I Can Fly含羞草研究社� and for sex-infused songs such as 含羞草研究社淏ump n含羞草研究社� Grind,含羞草研究社� he sold millions of albums even after allegations about his abuse of girls began circulating publicly in the 1990s.

Prosecutors described Kelly as 含羞草研究社渁 serial sexual predator含羞草研究社� who used his fame and wealth to reel in, sexually abuse and then discard star-struck fans.

U.S. Assistant Attorney Jeannice Appenteng urged the judge to keep Kelly in prison 含羞草研究社渇or the rest of his life.含羞草研究社�

Kelly含羞草研究社檚 abuse of children was especially appalling, she said Thursday, because he 含羞草研究社渕emorialized含羞草研究社� his abuse by filming victims, including Jane. Appenteng told the court Kelly 含羞草研究社渦sed Jane as a sex prop, a thing含羞草研究社� for producing pornographic videos.

But Bonjean has accused prosecutors of offering an 含羞草研究社渆mbellished narrative含羞草研究社� to get the judge to join what she called the government含羞草研究社檚 含羞草研究社渂loodthirsty campaign to make Kelly a symbol of the #MeToo movement.含羞草研究社�

The singer has suffered enough, including financially, Bonjean said. She said his worth once approached $1 billion, but that he 含羞草研究社渋s now destitute.含羞草研究社�

Given his age and current 30-year sentence, Bonjean said sentencing Kelly to 25 more years would be 含羞草研究社渙verkill.含羞草研究社�

含羞草研究社淚t is symbolic,含羞草研究社� she said. 含羞草研究社淲hy? Because it is R. Kelly.含羞草研究社�

Just before Kelly was taken back to detention Thursday, he requested that he not be placed on suicide watch because constant checks by guards 含羞草研究社渋s in and of itself cruel含羞草研究社� and 含羞草研究社渃reates mental health issues,含羞草研究社� Bonjean said.

含羞草研究社淗e was expecting this,含羞草研究社� she told the judge. 含羞草研究社淢r. Kelly 含羞草研究社� is not suicidal.含羞草研究社�

Michael Tarm And Claire Savage, The Associated Press

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