R. Kelly accuser gives emotional testimony in racketeering trial
CBSN
An R. Kelly accuser broke down in tears Monday as she testified in the federal racketeering trial of the disgraced R&B star. Using a pseudonym to testify anonymously, the woman cried as she claimed she contracted herpes during her relationship with the singer, and that she believes Kelly knowingly exposed her to it.
Federal prosecutors in New York have accused Kelly of operating a criminal sex trafficking network composed of his managers, bodyguards, drivers, assistants and others who recruited minor females and women at concert venues where he was performing and other locations. Once Kelly had the accusers alone, he "dominated and controlled them physically, sexually and psychologically," Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York Maria Cruz Melendez claimed during the trial's opening statements in a Brooklyn courtroom Wednesday. Kelly has pleaded not guilty to all charges against him and has steadfastly maintained his innocence, including in an explosive 2019 interview with "CBS This Morning" co-host Gayle King. His defense attorneys have blasted the alleged racketeering enterprise as an overreach by prosecutors, saying in one court filing the women sought out Kelly's attention and years later have "groupie remorse." Kelly's attorney, Nicole Blank Becker, on Wednesday claimed that the relationships were consensual and said that the women enjoyed the "notoriety of being able to tell their friends that they were with a superstar."Trying to capture a life in film – never mind one as complex as that of Amy Winehouse – can be a challenge. When it comes to biographical films, critics often fire from both sides, calling them exploitative or sanitized. It's not for the faint-hearted director. But according to Sam Taylor-Johnson, "There's something about tackling difficult subjects where I just think, come on, let's go!"
Comanche chanting kicked off the Southwestern Association for Indian Art's inaugural runway show, as singer Marla Nauni opened with a blessing song for Native people. Peshawn Bread, the designer behind House of Sutai, quickly followed the prayer by sending a model in bell bottoms and roller skates down the runway to set the tone for her colorful disco-influenced collection.
Malmo, Sweden — Not everyone was welcoming the Eurovision Song Contest to the Swedish city of Malmo. Thousands of pro-Palestinian demonstrators protested in the Swedish port city Thursday against Israel's participation in the pan-continental pop competition. Protesters waving green, white and red Palestinian flags packed the historic Stortorget square near Malmo's 16th-century town hall before a planned march through the city for a rally in a park several miles from the Eurovision venue.
On the heels of his third Super Bowl championship and in the thick of unstoppable fanfare over his relationship, Travis Kelce is apparently moving into a different kind of spotlight. The Kansas City Chiefs tight end has confirmed he's attached to the upcoming television series "Grotesquerie," from "American Horror Story" creator Ryan Murphy. According to Deadline, the venture will mark Kelce's acting debut.