Demetrius Smith, R. Kelly‘s former tour manager, confesses to being present the day that R. Kelly and Aaliyah applied for their marriage license.
Soundbites from R. Kelly’s trial in Brooklyn continue to hit the internet painting a vivid picture of the intricate world he build to hide his sexual escapades in plain sight.
Testimonies from some of the victims included one young woman recalling how R. Kelly gave her herpes when she was 17 years old and then gaslight her when she tried to confront him.
In fact, R. Kelly’s former physician was on hand to confirm this, stating that R. Kelly has had herpes on record since 2007. He was knowingly passing the virus along to the young women he was dating.
Worst yet, stories of R. Kelly’s relationship with the late singer Aaliyah continue to come to light.
In exchange for his own innocence and no legal punishment for his testimony, Demetrius Smith testified about his time with R. Kelly and the things he witness and did for the star. Smith made it very clear he did not want to be there and stop frequently to speak with him lawyer before complying.
He admitted to being present when R. Kelly met Aaliyah, as well as having concerns about their relationship. R. Kelly was 27 and Aaliyah was 15. He remembers feeling that they were “too playful” and “friendly”, and that R. Kelly spent a lot of time alone with Aaliyah in his apartment.
His concerns were justified, as R. Kelly later asked for help from his team after believing that Aaliyah may be pregnant. Smith went to work bribing a social worker to help them get an ID that would show Aaliyah was 18. He paid the woman $500 and R. Kelly and Aaliyah applied for their marriage license in the state of Illinois.
