Update (July 23, 2019): R. Kelly’s crisis manager resigned hours after he told Gayle King he wouldn’t trust the singer around his own daughter.
Darrell Johnson confirmed his departure in a text message to CNN on Monday night.
#RKelly’s crisis manager announces that he’s stepped down @fox32news
pic.twitter.com/EDru3EsxKw— Tia A. Ewing (@TIA_EWING) July 23, 2019
"Mr. Kelly is in good hands with Mr. Greenberg!" he wrote, referring to Steve Greenberg, Kelly’s attorney. Johnson claims his decision had nothing to do with his former client’s legal issues.
"This has nothing to do with Mr. Kelly it's for my (own) person(al) reasons," he told USA Today in a statement.
Johnson also tried to clear up his comments to King. On Monday morning, he told the journalist he wouldn’t trust “anybody that’s accused of pedophilia” around his adult daughter.
"I should have worded it better," Johnson said. "I would leave my daughter with Kelly because I do not believe he is a pedophile."
Greenberg addressed Johnson’s resignation on Twitter and implied he was merely taking a break.
— Steve Greenberg (@SGcrimlaw) July 23, 2019
“The defense wants to thank Mr. Johnson for his tireless assistance and looks forward to his return,” Greenberg wrote. “He shares our confidence that this is an unprecedented assault against R. Kelly by others, for their own personal gain, and in the innocence of R. Kelly.”
Kelly is currently being held without bail in Chicago. Variety reports he is due in a New York court on August 2 to answer for some of the sexual assault charges. The singer will also appear in a Chicago court on September 4 for an indictment for another set of charges. He faces a total of 18 counts. If convicted, Kelly faces 15 to 195 years in prison.
Original story: In a surprising interview with Gayle King on CBS This Morning, R.Kelly’s crisis manager Darrell Johnson told King how the singer is doing in jail and revealed his personal opinions about the artist.
Johnson, who according to USA Today is part of Kelly’s inner circle, sat down with King on Monday, following the singer’s arrest and jailing on July 11. Kelly is being held without bond at Chicago’s federal Metropolitan Correctional Center for indictments in Illinois and New York. In a tweet, CBS This Morning noted that the singer will appear in court next month in Brooklyn to face 18 sex crime charges, including child pornography.
R. Kelly will appear in federal court in Brooklyn next month to face new sex-crime charges. Federal prosecutors charged the singer with a combined 18 counts, including child pornography.
Kelly's crisis manager Darrell Johnson is here with how he's fighting the new charges: pic.twitter.com/CMzyw7Tn9s
— CBS This Morning (@CBSThisMorning) July 22, 2019
“I am concerned about Mr. Kelly,” Johnson told King in the interview.
When asked if he was under suicide watch, Johnson said, “I would assume at this point he is. Mr. Kelly’s a mess.”
Kelly’s manager went on to dispel rumors that the singer was faring well in jail, reminding people that Kelly cannot read, write or watch TV.
“It’s almost like a jury has already convicted him.”
In a shocking point of the interview, Johnson also adamantly expressed his views on whether he would ever allow his 20-year-old daughter to be left alone with Kelly.
“Absolutely not. I wouldn’t leave my daughter with anybody that’s accused of pedophilia. Period.”
Acutely aware of Johnson’s contradiction, King questioned why he continues to work with the alleged sexual abuser.
“You’re defending R. Kelly but at the same time, saying you wouldn’t leave your own daughter with him?” she asked.
Johnson responded: “I wouldn’t leave my daughter with anyone… I’ll say it again (anyone) that’s accused of being a pedophile.”
Kelly’s federal trial is set for August 2.
