Predators in the entertainment community have been on the prowl for decades.
But some are finally being held accountable.
And one musician on trial for a heinous sex crime made a jaw-dropping argument.
Disgraced Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein was finally brought to justice after years of sexual assault.
He is likely to spend the rest of his life in prison after being convicted of rape.
But Weinstein was able to skirt punishment for years because of his proximity to power, particularly within the Democrat Party.
Another entertainment titan who is finally being held accountable is R&B singer R. Kelly.
For years, Kelly was rumored to be involved with underage girls, but was able to leverage his money and fame to get off scot-free.
But Kelly was recently found guilty of sex trafficking.
And during closing arguments of his trial, Kelly’s lawyer had the gall to compare him to Martin Luther King.
From The New York Post:
An attorney for disgraced R&B superstar R. Kelly compared him to civil rights icon Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in his closing argument at the singer’s federal racketeering trial Thursday. Kelly attorney Deveraux Cannick said the accused sex fiend is trying to hold the government to account by making prosecutors prove his guilt beyond a reasonable doubt — in the same way King fought for rights guaranteed by the Constitution.
Cannick quoted from King’s “I’ve Been to the Mountaintop” speech, telling jurors the civil rights leader protested in streets across America because the US government at the time was not being fair and true to all citizens.
Celebrities in the wringer routinely try to make some political appeal to save their hides.
Weinstein wrote an apology pledging to redouble his efforts in pursuit of social justice, but it wasn’t enough to keep him out of court.
Actor Kevin Spacey announced he was gay—one of the worst-kept secrets in Hollywood—in order to dampen the blow of sexual assault charges.
Kelly’s attorney invoking Dr. King is perhaps the most shameless plea of all.
The Post continued:
“Somewhere I read of the freedom of speech. Somewhere I read of the freedom of assembly. Somewhere I read of the freedom of the press,” Cannick quoted King as saying in the historic address.
Cannick continued that King led the civil rights movement in an effort to make the government “be true to what’s on paper.”
“That’s all Robert is trying to do,” he added.
Kelly’s gambit didn’t work, and now he’s facing sentencing.
Kelly could get ten years to life in prison for his crimes.
It seems odd to see a celebrity actually facing repercussions for his criminal behavior, but perhaps Weinstein and Kelly represent a sea change.
People are fed up with Hollywood celebrities, and they aren’t as willing to give them a free pass for their wrongdoing.
And with the advent of social media, the corporate press cannot control the narrative as easily.