New York (AFP)

The trial of fallen American R&B star R. Kelly, sued in multiple cases for multiple sexual abuse, began Monday with jury selection in federal court in Brooklyn.

The 54-year-old singer, whose actions had long been exposed, but who was acquitted in 2008 during a child pornography trial, was present in the courtroom, stoic in a navy blue suit.

In pre-trial detention in a federal prison in Brooklyn, the interpreter of "I believe I can fly", winner of three Grammy Awards in 1998 with this tube, must in particular be tried for extortion, sexual exploitation of minors, kidnapping, corruption and forced labor, from 1994 to 2018. He pleaded not guilty to all charges.

Asked by AFP when he arrived in court, one of his lawyers, Deveraux Cannick, declined to comment, simply saying that it was "a Monday like any other".

According to the indictment, R. Kelly ran a network that recruited and prepared young girls to have sex with him, including locking them in their hotel rooms when he was on tour.

Singer R. Kelly, here on November 6, 2015 in Las Vegas, is indicted in four different cases of sexual abuse Ethan Miller GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / AFP

In court, the singer is accused of having abused six women, including minors, whose identity has not been revealed.

- The shadow of Aaliyah -

During the jury selection (twelve people in total, plus six alternates), still underway at midday, three potential jurors said they were unable to presume the innocence of R. Kelly and were challenged.

Steps will be taken to ensure the anonymity of jurors, who will be partially isolated during the trial, to protect them from outside influences.

After this selection, the trial must get to the heart of the matter on August 18, with the first testimonies.

For more than 25 years, the singer from Chicago, with his voice tinged with gospel influences and hyper-sexualized lyrics or postures, has fueled suspicions of abuse, especially because he surrounded himself with very young girls.

Despite the charges, out-of-court settlements, and a 2008 trial that ended in an acquittal, he retained a strong fan base and continued to build a career.

Lawyer Nicole Blank Becker, who defends American R&B singer R. Kelly, accused of multiple sexual abuse, arrives at Brooklyn Federal Court on August 9, 2021 Kena Betancur AFP

It was not until January 2019, when the documentary series "Surviving R. Kelly" was released, that the legal grip really tightened.

Now, the singer is indicted in four proceedings in three different states (Illinois, New York, Minnesota).

While the identity of the victims at the New York trial is kept secret, many consider one of them to be singer Aaliyah, who died almost 20 years ago in August 2001 in a plane crash. at 22 years.

The indictment indeed accuses R. Kelly of having bribed an official of the State of Illinois in 1994 to obtain false documents and marry a minor.

An accusation that refers to the marriage, finally canceled, of the singer with the young star of R&B.

She was then 15 years old.

© 2021 AFP