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Friday, 7 June, 2002, 09:04 GMT 10:04 UK
R Kelly out on $750,000 bail
R Kelly
R Kelly attended the bail hearing on Thursday
Chart-topping singer R Kelly has been released on $750,000 (�513,500) bail after being charged with 21 counts of producing child pornography.

The R&B star has been ordered to avoid contact with children he is not related to and must check in with police once a week.

Mr Kelly was arrested on Wednesday, and is accused of appearing in a video showing him having sex with an underage girl, which has been widely distributed in the United States and over the internet.

The singer has denied that he is the man in the 26-minute video.

Get composure

He appeared in a Florida court on Thursday wearing an orange jail jumpsuit and plastic hand restraints, and spoke only to acknowledge that he understood his bail terms.

He is also not allowed to leave Florida without his attorney, Ed Genson.


I'm grateful that I will have a chance to establish the truth about me in a court of law

R Kelly
But he will leave for his home town of Chicago "as soon as he gets his composure, as soon as he sees his wife and kisses his babies, as soon as he puts on a new set of clothes and is able to get a few hours' sleep," Mr Genson said.

Mr Kelly, 35, whose first name is Robert, could face up to 15 years in prison and a fine of up to $100,000 (�68,500).

He has said he has "complete faith" in the judicial system and that people would see that he was not a criminal when the facts came out during his trial.

"Even though I don't believe any of these charges are warranted, I'm grateful that I will have a chance to establish the truth about me in a court of law," he said on Wednesday.

R Kelly
R Kelly's biggest hit was I Believe I Can Fly
Mr Genson also said he would prove that the girl on the video - who has not been co-operating with police - was not underage.

The video was sent anonymously to the Chicago Sun-Times newspaper in February.

Mr Kelly has been hit with a string of lawsuits from women who say the star had sex with them when they were below the legal age of consent.

Mr Kelly - who was discovered busking in the Chicago underground system - has become a best-selling singer and producer.

His best-known songs include I Believe I Can Fly and If I Could Turn Back the Hands of Time, and he has worked with Michael and Janet Jackson.

One of Chicago's top music stations dropped his music from its playlist on Thursday, saying it had a responsibility to uphold community standards.

And 56% of people in the city said radio stations should stop playing his music, compared with 36% who said it should not be dropped, according to a survey in the Chicago Sun-Times.

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 ON THIS STORY
News image The BBC's Matt Prodger
"R Kelly has denied he's the man in the video at the heart of the case"
See also:

06 Jun 02 | Entertainment
09 May 02 | Entertainment
30 Apr 02 | Entertainment
05 Dec 01 | Entertainment
06 Jun 02 | Entertainment
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