*R. Kelly’s legal team has allegedly been contacting both fans and colleagues to raise enough money so that the embattled singer can retain famed defense attorney Tom Mesereau.
Sources with direct knowledge claim Kelly’s industry contacts have expressed a desire to help with his legal fees.
Via TMZ:
We’re told these people have agreed to anonymously help foot the bill so the singer can land attorney Tom Mesereau … the guy who got MJ (Michael Jackson) acquitted in 2005, the same year he got Robert Blake acquitted of murdering his wife.
Our sources say there’s a big catch — the money won’t come in unless Kelly fires his current lawyer, Steven Greenberg … so for now, it’s all just verbal commitments.
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Complex writes: “Once he does this, he’ll reportedly get the funding he’s been promised. But, even then, this alleged money still might not be enough to gain Mesereau’s services as the components needed for Kelly to establish a credible defense could cost more than a million dollars to secure.”
Greenberg has called the whole situation “a complete load of crap.”
Kelly faces charges on various sex crimes in multiple states and jurisdictions and is currently being held at the federal Metropolitan Correctional Center in downtown Chicago, the Sun-Times reports. He might also face charges in Detroit and Atlanta.
“He’s dealing with a lot of stories that have been made up. He’s not a fighter. I’ve seen him cry when he talks about the situation,” said Greenberg, who is leading Kelly’s courtroom battle in Chicago on child pornography and sex abuse charges.
The attorney noted how Kelly “has a stage persona who is used to having people around him all the time. His life in solitary is now minus TV. No radio. No music. And no books.
“He’s also a spiritual guy, has a Bible with him in his cell, but he can’t read it. It’s basically there for comfort,” he added.
