#MuteRKelly co-founder: ‘This is his day of reckoning’
Kenyette Tisha Barnes has worked for this day for years.
Soon, alleged victims of R&B crooner R. Kelly may finally get their day in court.
Prosecutors in Illinois have filed 10 counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse against Kelly, Cook County State's Attorney Kim Foxx said Friday at a news conference.
“This is his day of reckoning,” said Barnes, in a phone interview not long after news of the indictment hit.
The charges stem from incidents alleged to have occurred between 1998 and 2010 with four separate victims.
Barnes and another Atlantan, Oronike Odeleye, are co-founders of #MuteRKelly, a national grassroots movement launched in 2017 to pressure radio stations and concert venues to stop playing his music or booking performances.
“I feel like this is the culmination of so much work on the part of survivors, activists and attorneys who were on the ground seeking accountability for years.”
News of the indictments, though, were bittersweet, for Barnes, who said she was a survivor of child pornography.
While survivors and advocates “want justice,” she said. It also means that in order to bring charges there’s evidence that other young African-American girls were allegedly assaulted.
She said she hoped charges would stick. She hopes victims may feel more empowered to testify and speak out.
About the Author
Shelia has worked at The Atlanta Journal-Constitution for more than 30 years. Previously, she worked at The Lexington Herald-Leader and The Louisville Defender. Her beat is a bit of a mixed bag that includes religion and spirituality, culture and trends, race and aging. She earned degrees from Spelman College and Northwestern University.
