UPDATE 3:26 p.m. ET: Jones Creek Police told TMZ that there is no new evidence in this case, nor is there any reason to open an investigation on R. Kelly. They are also saying that Kelly's squad is pissed at Eaves for his statement, and feel that Eaves is looking to use the R. Kelly situation for his own gain.
Variety is reporting that Eaves is running for mayor of Atlanta, and says that Fulton County District Attorney Paul Howard echoed the same statement the Jones Creek Police gave TMZ, that there are no current investigations against R. Kelly going on.
Original story is below.
Back in July, BuzzFeed published an investigation into what's been billed as an "abusive cult" where R. Kelly is reportedly holding a number of women. Both R. Kelly and one of the women he's dealing with have denied the claims, but that hasn't stopped thousands of people (including Issa Rae) from distancing themselves from the R&B singer-songwriter. The ordeal has also created a new, vocal opponent of R. Kelly, one Fulton County Chairman John Eaves.
Eaves held a news conference on Friday to issue a statement that called for a criminal investigation into the allegations against Kelly and promising to "follow every lead — no matter where it leads, or who it implicates, and bring those persons to swift justice." Why did Eaves do this? Because one of the women who is allegedly being held captive lives in R. Kelly's home in Johns Creek, which is in Fulton County, Georgia.
In the statement Eaves released to the media, he vowed to "leave no stone unturned" and asserted that "[a] detailed local investigation by the John Creek Police Department has provided key information that we believe is enough evidence that gives the Fulton County District Attorney’s Office all it needs to advance a criminal investigation of the well-known allegations." Eaves made it plain that "[n]o one should be above the law, because of their income or their zip code" and that "we will not allow our young girls and young women to be preyed upon by predators or anyone who aims to brainwash and strip them of their human dignity and their right to be free."
He indicates later in his statement that he's a father, so you can imagine where some of his passion in resolving the matter arose from.
As of now, Johns Creek Police Lt. Chris Byers said that "There is no open investigation against R. Kelly" at this time, although they closed a previous complaint from earlier this year because "no criminal allegations from anyone" had been made.
With artists like Vic Mensa speaking out about R. Kelly, you'd hope that more people would stop copping tickets to Kelly's shows. As of now, Kelly's saying there's been no drop in ticket sales. But with Eaves' newly-launched criminal investigation into the singer, fans may soon be singing a different tune.
