Federal Prosecutors Say R. Kelly Married Aaliyah To Keep Her From Testifying Against Him

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The late R&B singer was married to R. Kelly at the age of 15.

According to new court documents, R. Kelly married a teenage Aaliyah to keep her from testifying against him and avoid criminal charges.

READ: Aaliyah And R. Kelly’s Annulment Included Agreement To Protect Him From Physical Abuse Charges

In a report from the Chicago Sun-Times, witnesses shared the information with federal prosecutors, which was presented in relation to a case against the singer in Brooklyn. The prosecutors argued that Kelly has a "consistent pattern" of obstructing law enforcement, and because of this he should not be allowed to learn the identities of the alleged victims associated with the Brooklyn case.

“Simply put, the defendant’s past behavior reveals that if given the opportunity to influence a potential witness, the defendant will take it, and his incarceration may not be enough to prevent such conduct,” prosecutors wrote.

In the court documents, Aaliyah is referred to as "Jane Doe #1."

"Witnesses have advised the government that the defendant engaged in this bribery scheme to obtain a marriage license so he could quickly and secretly marry Jane Doe #1 to avoid criminal charges for engaging in a sexual relationship with Jane Doe #1, who was a minor at the time," prosecutors wrote. "Specifically, the defendant believed that his marriage to Jane Doe #1 would prevent her from being able to testify against him in the event he were prosecuted for his criminal sexual relationship with her."

Kelly claimed to not know Aaliyah's age when they married. He is currently locked up at Metropolitan Correctional Center, a federal prison in Chicago.

Source: Chicago Sun-Times