R. Kelly accuser tells of singer’s violence, control

NEW YORK —  A former girlfriend of R. Kelly on Monday told jurors at his sex abuse trial that she suffered through a five-year relationship with the R&B singer marked by frequent violence and control of her every move. Testifying for the prosecution, the woman known as Jane Doe No. 5 in Kelly’s indictment said the singer regularly checked her cellphone to make sure she did not gossip to friends about their relationship, which began in 2015 when she was 17. She also said Kelly “chastised” her for disobedience, including by spanking her hard enough to leave bruises and tear her skin. “I would get chastised nearly every two or three days,” the woman said in Brooklyn federal court. Now 23, Doe said Kelly also ordered her in 2017 to have an abortion she did not want after he had impregnated her. Doe’s testimony for the prosecution comes on the fourth day of Kelly’s trial. The 54-year-old singer has pleaded not guilty to a nine-count racketeering indictment describing his alleged abuse of six women and girls, including the late singer Aaliyah. Kelly’s trial is expected to last several weeks, and he could face life in prison if convicted. — Reuters