R. Kelly refuses transport, fails to appear in court

R. Kelly status hearing on his Cook County sex abuse charges, the first since he was indicted in federal court in Chicago and New York, as well as state charges in Minnesota– Kelly’s lawyer has waived his appearance; the State’s Attorney said Kelly “refused transport”

Kelly lawyer Steve Greenberg said that there was an issue with the US Marshall’s regarding Kelly’s transportation to the hearing. “Suffice it to say… moving Mr. Kelly is a large undertaking”

Judge Lawrence Flood said that he wants Kelly to be in court, at least for a hearing on increasing his bond. “He’s got to be here… there’s due process issues.”

Judge Flood asked which of the four cases pending will go first; ASA Jennifer Gonzalez said she it remains undecided; Greenberg said he was asked in fed court in NY “My answer was, everybody wants to go first.”

Greenberg said that Kelly’s Cook County cases shouldn’t go forward until after the federal cases are settled, stating that charges in the NY case especially overlap with Cook.

“The cases are terribly intertwined, and these cases shouldn’t proceed until those cases are resolved.”