R. Kelly’s legal team has responded to the default judgment granted to one of his alleged victims, claiming the embattled single only loss this round because of his learning disability.
As previously reported, Kellz was sued by Heather Williams back in February, alleging he sexually abused her when she was 16. The lawsuit came on the heels of the singer’s 10 count indictment in Chicago of aggravated criminal sexual abuse, TMZ reports.
Following his arrest on those charges, William’s attorneys served Kelly papers while in jail, and he was reportedly so “overwhelmed” with his legal drama that he had no idea what the docs said because he’s illiterate.
His lawyer is fighting to undo the legal defeat after the entertainer failed to respond to the civil lawsuit and appear in court.
Williams claims she and R. Kelly had sexual intercourse and oral sex when she was a minor back in the 90’s and the abuse continued until she was an adult, the report states.
After seeing a therapist in June 2015, she “broke through her repressed memory” and could finally speak about the alleged abuse with the R&B star. Williams says she “suffered shame, guilt, self-blame and depression” so she hit Kelly with a lawsuit for at least $50,000.
R. Kelly’s civil attorney Brian Nix told TMZ his client was not in his right mind at the time he was served.
“R. Kelly was served while incarcerated on the child support case and he was overwhelmed by the experience of being in jail,” Nix told the outlet. “[Being overwhelmed] coupled with Mr. Kelly not being cognizant of what the motion fully meant led to him missing the hearing. I had no idea he had been served.”
Kelly’s other attorneys, Zaid Abdallah and Raed Shalabi, insist his “learning disability” prevented him from reading the documents and taking proper action, Complex reports.
“[Kelly] suffers from a learning disability that adversely affects his ability to read,” legal documents state, “… in essence he cannot.”
Kelly’s attorneys are asking that the default judgment be set aside until a damages hearing set to take place May 8.
