Crime

TV Line reports: R&B singer R. Kelly, charged with multiple counts of aggravated sexual abuse, angrily denied the accusations in a new, at times heated interview with CBS This Morning‘s Gayle King. Looking directly into the camera, Kelly, through tears, screamed, “I didn’t do this stuff! This is not me! I’m fighting for my f—ing life!” Kelly was arrested in …

The Birmingham Herald reports: A 45-year-old man convicted in the 1999 hate crime murder of Billy Jack Gaither has been killed in an Alabama prison. Steven Eric Mullins [photo] was found unresponsive Feb. 26 at St. Clair Correctional Facility, Alabama Department of Corrections officials announced Monday. The Department of Corrections’ Investigations and Intelligence Division is filing capital murder charges against …

The Guardian reports: George Pell is arguing his child sexual abuse convictions should be overturned or he should receive a retrial, because of a “fundamental irregularity” that prevented him from entering a not-guilty plea in front of his jury. The Victorian court of appeal has released Pell’s grounds for appeal against his December conviction for sexually abusing two 13-year-old choirboys …

CBS News reports: Billionaire New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft has entered a plea of not guilty on charges of soliciting prostitution while visiting a Florida massage parlor in January. According to court records obtained by CBS News from the County Court of the Fifteenth Judicial Circuit in and for Palm Beach County, Kraft formally pleaded not guilty to the …

Raleigh’s CBS affiliate reports: McCrae Dowless has been indicted on seven charges in connection to an investigation into absentee ballot irregularities in the NC District 9 general election. Dowless has been charged with three counts of felonious obstruction of justice, two counts of conspiracy to commit obstruction of justice and two counts of possession of absentee ballot. Dowless was arrested …

The Charlotte Observer reports: Citing his health, Republican Mark Harris said Tuesday that he won’t run in a new election for the 9th Congressional District. “After consulting with my physicians, there are several things that my health situation requires as a result of the extremely serious condition that I faced in mid-January. One of those is a necessary surgery that …

CNN reports: One of the most powerful men in the Roman Catholic Church was found guilty of multiple historical child sex offenses at a secret trial in Melbourne in December, the existence of which can only now be revealed. Australian Cardinal George Pell, 77, is almost certain to face prison after a jury found him guilty of one charge of …

The Associated Press reports: A 24-year-old man is guilty of trying to detonate what he believed was an explosives-laden van outside an Oklahoma City bank, a federal jury ruled Monday. Jurors convicted Jerry Drake Varnell, of Sayre, of attempting to use an explosive device to damage a building and attempting to use a weapon of mass destruction. Prosecutors alleged that …

Boston’s ABC affiliate reports: New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft is one of dozens and possibly hundreds of men identified in a monthslong investigation of a human trafficking and prostitution ring involving five day spas in Florida. Jupiter Police Chief Daniel Kerr said he was shocked to learn Kraft, who is worth $6 billion, was paying for sex inside a …

The Salt Lake Tribune reports: He asked the man if he was gay and when he responded “I am,” he hit him. Now, that alleged attacker faces assault charges — but those will not be enhanced as a hate crime. Carlo Alazo, 22 from Florida, was charged Friday by the Salt Lake County district attorney with three misdemeanors for threatening …

ABC News reports: David and Louise Turpin, who are accused of starving, beating and inflicting other abuse on 12 of their 13 children at their Perris home, pleaded guilty to multiple charges in the case as part of a plea deal. The two appeared in court on Friday and each pleaded guilty to 14 counts in connection to the abuse …

Mediaite reports: President Donald Trump weighed in this afternoon on Patriots owner Robert Kraft being charged with solicitation of prostitution. Kraft was one of several individuals busted in the sting in what authorities are describing as a massive human trafficking investigation. Police said earlier today they have video evidence. Trump has been close with Kraft for many years, and he …

The Chicago Sun-Times reports: Embattled R&B superstar R. Kelly was charged with 10 counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse in Cook County Friday morning, records show. His first court date is listed as March 8, according to records. Sources told the Sun-Times that Cook County prosecutors were appearing before a judge Friday afternoon to sign off on an arrest warrant …

West Palm Beach’s ABC affiliate reports: In his Tuesday news conference about a major human trafficking investigation , Martin County Sheriff William Snyder said about 100 men would be arrested. When asked about prominent people or celebrities, Snyder said, “There will be a newsmaker in this one.” That newsmaker is Robert Kraft, billionaire businessman and owner of the Super Bowl …

USA Today reports: Fox announced on Friday Jussie Smollett was suspended from the hit show “Empire” after the actor was accused of paying two men to attack him last month in what police say was a ploy to raise his profile because he was unhappy with his salary. “The events of the past few weeks have been incredibly emotional for …

Chicago’s ABC affiliate reports: When Jussie Smollett called the cast and crew of the television show “Empire” together Thursday night, they were expecting the actor to come clean about what really happened, a person at the meeting told CNN. Smollett did apologize to his coworkers for any embarrassment they might have felt since the story began. But then, to the …

The Blast reports: Jussie Smollett is to be released this afternoon on a $100,000 bond and is ordered to surrender his passport. During the hearing, text messages between Jussie Smollett and the brothers were read aloud to the court. Smollett was seen taking deep breaths, closing his eyes, and shaking his head. Smollett’s siblings, including Jazz, Jake and Jocqui, arrived …

USA Today reports: “Empire” actor Jussie Smollett choreographed a homophobic, racist attack against himself with the help of two brother he knew, in an attempt to raise his profile because he was dissatisfied with the salary he was making, police said Thursday. Eddie Johnson, superintendent of the Chicago Police Department, kicked off the presser, explaining what their investigation concluded. “This …

CBS News reports: “Empire” actor Jussie Smollett is in custody to face charges of making a false police report when he said he was attacked in downtown Chicago late last month by two men who hurled racist and anti-gay slurs and looped a rope around his neck, police said. Police spokesperson Anthony Guglielmi said prosecutors charged Smollett with felony disorderly …

ABC News Chicago reports: Chicago police spokesman Anthony Guglielmi confirmed Wednesday afternoon that Jussie Smollett is officially a suspect in a criminal investigation for filing a false police report, a Class 4 felony. Guglielmi said CPD detectives are currently presenting evidence before a Cook County grand jury. Earlier Gugliemi confirmed prosecutors are speaking with Jussie Smollett’s attorneys as part of …