The R. Kelly guilty verdict is much-deserved, but it’s not progress … yet – MSNBC

On Monday, disgraced entertainer R. Kelly was found guilty of employing a decades-long scheme to use his fame to sexually abuse young women and children.

The R&B singer, whose real name is Robert Kelly, was found guilty on all nine counts he faced: one count of racketeering and eight counts of violating the Mann Act, a federal law that prohibits transporting people across state lines for any immoral purpose, including prostitution. He could face decades in prison.

The case revealed gruesome details about Kellys abusive behavior, including testimony alleging he arranged to marry and impregnate the late singer Aaliyah as a teenager so she couldnt testify against him; that he knowingly spread herpes to several of his young victims; and that he slapped and choked one of his teenage victims until she passed out because she texted a friend.

The verdict is certainly a victory for Kelly's Black female victims, who hopefully feel vindicated after years of mockery and neglect, but its longterm impact is less clear.

In 2008, Kelly was acquitted of all charges stemming from a child pornography case. That case followed decades of reports and allegations that the chart-topping singer abused young girls, including Aaliyah, who died in a plane crash in the Bahamas in 2001 at the age of 22.

On Monday, lawyers and law enforcement officials suggested the verdict was indeed a sign of things to come.

R. Kelly thought that he could get away with all of this, but he didnt, attorney Gloria Allred, who has represented some of Kelly's victims, said during a press conference after the verdict was read. Despite the fact he thought he could control all of his victims, he was wrong.

Allred said the case should be seen as a warning to other celebrities who use their power and influence to abuse others.

The question is not if the law will catch up to you, the only question is when, Allred said.

It remains to be seen whether the R. Kelly verdict is a sign of widespread accountability to come.

Prosecutor Jacquelyn Kasulis, acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, issued a similar warning Monday.

No matter how long it takes, the long arm of the law will catch up with you, Kasulis said after praising her teams work during the trial.

But such comments are optimistic and perhaps overly so. Data compiled by the National Center on Violence Against Women in the Black Community found one in four Black girls experience sexual violence before the age of 18. That data includes a Department of Justice finding that one in five Black women in America are survivors of rape.

For the R. Kelly case to truly be seen as a success, it cant just topple the rich and famous it needs to hold powerful men who lack celebrity accountable, as well.

Head over toThe ReidOut Blogfor more.

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Ja'han Jones is The ReidOut Blog writer. He's a futurist and multimedia producer focused on culture and politics. His previous projects include "Black Hair Defined" and the "Black Obituary Project."

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The R. Kelly guilty verdict is much-deserved, but it's not progress ... yet - MSNBC