Accused of disrupting a documentary about the sexual abuse of singer R. Kelly, Donnell Russell, his former manager, is currently in serious legal trouble. Appearing in court, he was convicted for his threats during a screening of Survivor R. Kelly.
Donnell Russell in sight of justice?
Last month R. Kelly was sentenced to 30 years in prison for sex trafficking, racketeering and seven other federal charges. The judge also ruled that after his release, he must undergo treatment for sexual disorders and cannot have any contact with minors. Controversy and rumors have been fueling public opinion for a long time, and the dam finally began to burst when the documentary series Surviving R. Kelly hit the screens.
Indeed, R. Kelly and his team were not pleased with the release of the series, which featured interviews with several victims detailing the crimes he had committed. Former manager R. Kelly was one of the most upset and threatened to “shoot down the venue” where the screening was to take place. A gesture that cost him dearly, as he was found guilty of threatening physical violence over an interstate connection and faces up to five years in prison.
Director Donnell Russell threatened New York’s NeueHouse Madison Square theater from his home in Chicago. The private screening was supposed to be attended by some of R. Kelly’s victims and their families, and was quickly cleared and canceled when it became known that Russell had been threatened.
“The call was short. The accused was straight to the point. And he was terrible,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Lara Pomeranz said during the trial. “Someone at the event had a gun and was going to shoot at the place. He wanted to silence these women, and he succeeded. His threat worked.”
According to the complaint, Russell initially tried to stop the showing by sending a bogus “cease and desist” letter to the theater and attempting to contact New York City law enforcement. The man was cleared of conspiracy charges but will be sentenced in November for threatening.