Derrel McDavid, R. Kelly‘s former business manager, is seeking $850,000 in legal fees after being acquitted in the heinous singer’s federal trial in Chicago.
McDavid was charged with one count of conspiracy to receive child pornography, two counts of receiving child pornography, and one count of conspiracy to obstruct justice. His attorney, Beau Brindley, filed an 18-page motion on Monday (Oct. 17). According to the Chicago Sun-Times, McDavid acquired the substantial amount of legal fees—$600,000 of which is unpaid—causing him to “liquidate real property and other assets in an attempt to pay.”
Brindley wrote, “Mr. McDavid’s life was unalterably changed by the frivolous, vexatious, and bad faith prosecution over which he prevailed. The jury even acquitted Robert Kelly of more than half of the charges levied against him, in large part, based on the lies and falsehoods exposed by Mr. McDavid’s vigorous defense.”
McDavid’s lawyer also detailed how he worked 80 hours per week for his client over the course of two months leading up to the trial, and 100 hours per week during the actual five-week trial. He also mentioned the 500 hours he spent reviewing evidence for McDavid’s defense. All of which cost $696.72 per hour.
Yet, the Associated Press explained that defendants recouping such expenses “are exceedingly rare and do not often succeed.”
During his federal trial, Kelly, 55, was found guilty for six out of 13 counts—three of four counts of production of child pornography and three of five counts of enticement of a minor to engage in criminal sexual activity—due to McDavid spending two days on the witness stand helping the disgraced crooner evade more charges.
A sentencing date for Kelly’s Chicago federal trial has yet to be set, but he was sentenced to 30 years in prison after being convicted on RICO charges in his Brooklyn federal trial.