That is interesting. So you are saying a 15/16 can give lawful consent to have sex?

A 18 year old and a 16 year old is that satuatory rape?:eek:

He disgusts me....
 

First of all I'm 18 and I don't care how old this girls look, they could look 30 for all I care, its all about the mentality. If Kelly could just take a minute and keep his pants zipped and engage these girls in a five minute conversation (although he didn't seem to bright) I think he'd realize that something just ain't right. Something along the lines of "oh you're 19, what year did you graduate, what college do you attend, oh whats your major, oh your not in school...well when did u know u didn't want to go.." I think you get what I'm say. The key is details...then If the girl was still underage and could answer some key questions...well then she's a great pathological liar and then should share some of the blame.

IMO Aaliyah is relevant to his pattern of behavior, he married her and lied about it, let's face it lying about his relationships with minors is second nature...Sparkle may very well be trying to get back at Kelly, I really don't know and I don't care. Its not like she's bringing him down his dumb self did it to himself

Depending on where you live - in some states the age of consent is as low as 14, again, 15/16 is the norm, a few states still have 18 as the age of consent. It often matches the age that a parent can sign for their child to get married. It has been adjusted down in many states due to teen pregnancy trends - don't ask me for the logic that's just what has happened.

Also, the "adult" party sometimes has to be over 18, it is usually 19 and above. However, even if it is a consensual relationship, say between a 19 and a 16 year old, it may not be statutory rape, but it could still be illegal - it might constitute contributing to the deilnquency of a minor. It all depends on how the statutes are written - the unfortunate part is that often times when it is blatant it isn't prosecuted! I'm not even sure of what R.Kelly is charged with but from what I've heard the "pornography" charges are more serious - I don't know what the age of consent is in Illinois.

Re: He disgusts me....
 

Good points! Really those are the basic questions that most 18/19 should know.

I have a real problem with Sparkle and others like her. If he was doing this on a regular basis then his friends knew about it. Why now is everyone pointing out how he's so wrong? When they knew what he was doing and said nothing for years. As long as it was profitable to them they kept they mouths closed.

I dont think Aaliyah is relevant b/c she lied about her age too. And she did NOT look 15, but that is all water under the bridge. I still would like to know Sparkle's motive, and I still think Robert, the girl and her parents are ALL to blame in this situation..

Aaliyah looked 15 to me. He knew she was 15. he was producing her album and what made the album special is the fact that she was so young. He was hanging with her family. I know at some point they had to say something about her age. If he didn't know she was 15, why would they have to get married in secret in the first place. He's probably like Michael Jackson, they have a childlike mind. They can only indentify with children.

Those young girls are not responsilbe for what happened to them. As teenagers they know right from wrong, but at that age people tend to be very impressionable. They don't have enough life experiences to tell them when someone is using or abusing them. Their not stupid they just don't know what is really going on. R. Kelly is a grown man he knew better.

News Special...
 

VH1 aired a news special about the R. Kelly case last night. Has anyone seen it? I'm not sure if that was the first time airing the special - you know how these stations like to play things like a hundred times.

:eek:

While I am not BLAMING the young girls (I tend to blame their upbringing, if anything), I also do not think they are as naive as you believe they are. If, at 15, you do not know that sex with a 30+ year old man is something you should not be doing then there is a problem. When I was 15, I knew about sex (although I did not fully understand the emotional ramifications of the act), and I would have figured that if a 30 year old man wanted to have sex with me, there was probably something shady going on.

Actually that is their problem too! R. Kelly is a national superstar. At 15 if he would have appoached me I'm not so sure what I would have done. I'm not perfect and I even at this age don't always make the right decisions. Think about all the self esteem problems young girls have and then to have someone like him pay you some attention. I think it would be hard to just say no.

I also do not think they are as naive as you believe they are....
That is exactly my point! If you realllly think that some of these young girls are not as scandalous as you think they are you are sadly mistaken. A girl in the 7th grade got caught giving h**d in the stairwell to several boys. It tripped me out. You would think that they would go elsewhere....but that's the problem they don't think! Yes it's easy to say ...he knew better...but can you imagine meeting so many people that you just think to yourself oh that's cool I'll do him tonite because I won't see them again. Poor judgement yes But this our society today. Sex is just sex to some. I am not saying because he is a celeb spank his hand I'm saying that it could happen to the best of us. We are in a sue society. The dollar rules and we don't teach morals and values like we should. We have a responsibility to our community but some simply just don't care.....:( :eek:

R.Kelly knew those girls were underage(Aaliyah included). He wouldn't have been picking up girls at high schools if he didn't.A lot of people also state that the girls could easily be swayed because they are young. The girls were young but weren't innocent.I know kids under the age of 10 that are having sex so I doubt the girls were naive.Both parties were fully aware and Kelly has to pay the consequences.

I REALLY hate to bring this topic back to the top (I mean REALLY), but I just had to ask y'all something. Has anyone heard Kelly's song he just released in response to the charges he's facing? It's entitled "Heaven I Need a Hug" and it's ummmmm ........ a little bizarre to say the least. I tried to see if I could find the lyrics somewhere, but to no avail. Basically he says that:

1. He needs a hug.
2. Women need to quit trying to use him and get their own isht.
3. Everybody in his camp is out to get him. They used to wish him well, now they want to see him fail.
4. Judge lest ye be judged.
5. He's given 13 years of his life to the industry, so how can people now turn against him? :rolleyes:
6. He asks if Jesus loves him, why did he leave his side. (Um, Kelly I think think you're the one who jetted).
7. He's asking for prayers for him and his family. (Ohhhhh, NOW you wanna be a family man?)
8. He's fighting many demons (dreams of being dead), but the devil is a liar.
9. HE NEEDS A HUG!http://www.clicksmilie.de/sammlung/aktion/aktion031.gif

The refrain is: Heaven I need a hug, is there anybody out there willing to embrace a thug?

For some reason, I was just shocked when I heard the song and I'm not really sure why. I guess I just find it a strange response to the allegations against him. What do y'all think? Why this song? Why now?

still trying to make moolah!
 

He needs a therapist.

First, paranoia, THEN who in their RIGHT MIND would say that JESUS left them? Evidently Rev. Dr. Whoever that was on BET has not been doing his J-O-B!

BOOOOOOOOOOO!

OH my word! :o

AKA2D, once again, you stole the words out of my mouth.

He is a sick puppy, and needs help, and new lawyers, and an extra "spiritual advisor".