- P&ID: Judgment To Serve As Deterrent To Others Seeking To Swindle Nigeria – AGF Channels Television
- A British court ruling frees Nigeria from paying $11 billion in damages over a failed gas project The Washington Post
- Eye on Africa | Nigeria wins $11 billion damages appeal over failed gas deal • FRANCE 24 English FRANCE 24 English
- Nigeria Wins UK Ruling against P&ID to Avoid $11 Billion Payout Bloomberg
- P&ID case: Nigeria should constitute team of legal experts to address similar issues – Aondoakaa Vanguard
- View Full Coverage on Google News
Tag Archives: serve
Researchers figure out how to make AI misbehave, serve up prohibited content – Ars Technica
- Researchers figure out how to make AI misbehave, serve up prohibited content Ars Technica
- AI Has A Destructive Weakness That Will Destroy The Internet Giant Freakin Robot
- Breaking News: Trust in Artificial Intelligence Shattered – Experts Declare Doubt in AI’s Reliability Softonic EN
- A New AI Research from CMU Proposes a Simple and Effective Attack Method that Causes Aligned Language Models to Generate Objectionable Behaviors MarkTechPost
- Dangerous ChatGPT and Google Bard ‘hallucinations’ that strike without warning can’t ever be fixed, AI expe… The US Sun
- View Full Coverage on Google News
REVIEW: Emile’s Fromage Montage Returns with Strawberry Cheesecake Soft Serve & Souvenir Cup Prize for 2023 EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival – WDW News Today
- REVIEW: Emile’s Fromage Montage Returns with Strawberry Cheesecake Soft Serve & Souvenir Cup Prize for 2023 EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival WDW News Today
- If You’re Heading to EPCOT’s First Food and Wine Festival Weekend…Good Luck AllEars.Net
- Bite into these new dishes at the 2023 Epcot Food & Wine Festival Florida Today
- REVIEW: Shimmering Sips Falls Flat for the 2023 EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival WDW News Today
- Quincy’s Favorite Booth at the EPCOT Food & Wine Festival AllEars.Net
- View Full Coverage on Google News
Cracks are emerging in Israel’s military. Reservists threaten not to serve if government plan passes – The Associated Press
- Cracks are emerging in Israel’s military. Reservists threaten not to serve if government plan passes The Associated Press
- Ex-Shin Bet chief justifies army reservists’ refusal to serve: ‘Overhaul is a coup’ The Times of Israel
- Israeli military threatens arrest of reservists in judicial protest Reuters
- Ex-Israeli security chief backs reservists’ protest as Netanyahu allies advance judicial overhaul The Associated Press
- IDF pans viral staged clip of pilot refusing to aid pro-overhaul ground troops The Times of Israel
- View Full Coverage on Google News
Sean O’Malley reveals he won’t serve as UFC 288 backup fighter: ‘If one of those dorks pull out, reschedule i… – MMA Fighting
- Sean O’Malley reveals he won’t serve as UFC 288 backup fighter: ‘If one of those dorks pull out, reschedule i… MMA Fighting
- Why Sean O’Malley decided against backup role for Aljamain Sterling vs. Henry Cejudo at UFC 288 Yahoo Sports
- O’Malley turns down back-up role for Sterling vs. Cejudo: ‘F— that’ MMA Mania
- Is Sean O’Malley the backup fighter for Aljamain Sterling vs Henry Cejudo title clash? ‘Sugar’ reveals Sportskeeda
- Sean O’Malley Explains Why He Decided Against Being Backup Fighter For Aljamain Sterling vs. Henry Cejudo At UFC 288 MMA News
- View Full Coverage on Google News
Swalwell, Schiff won’t serve on House Intelligence panel
Kevin McCarthy elected 55th House speaker after 15 rounds of votes
The GOP leader Kevin McCarthy was elected House speaker after historic 15 rounds of votes.
Anastasiia Riddle, Associated Press
WASHINGTON – GOP Speaker Kevin McCarthy said Tuesday he would not seat fellow California Reps. Eric Swalwell and Adam Schiff to the House Intelligence Committee, keeping a promise he made to conservatives on the campaign trail.
“I will put national security ahead of partisan politics,” he said during a news conference.
McCarthy has said Swalwell likely would be denied a security clearance in the private sector and accused Schiff of lying to the public, claiming they are not fit to serve on the committee that handles classified information.
Democrats say it’s political revenge. Both California Democrats served on the panel in the last Congress and Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., has asked that they be reappointed, Unlike most standing committees, the speaker chooses who serves on the Select Intelligence Committee.
McCarthy said it’s not political and that Schiff and Swalwell could be seated on other committees, but not Intelligence.
Why isn’t McCarthy seating Schiff and Swalwell?
Before he was elected speaker, McCarthy said he would not seat Schiff on the Intelligence committee, claiming he lied to Americans as chairman of the panel that led the first impeachment of former President Donald Trump in 2019.
McCarthy said he would not seat Swalwell because of the congressman’s previous ties to a suspected Chinese spy.
In 2021, McCarthy first called for Swalwell’s removal from the committee but the Democrat-led House rejected the move largely along party lines.
Why Democrats say the McCarthy move with Schiff and Swalwell is revenge
In a letter Saturday, Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries told McCarthy any denial of seats “runs counter to the serious and sober mission of the Intelligence Committee.
He also contrasted the removal of Schiff and Swalwell to the removal of GOP Reps. Paul Gosar of Arizona and Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia in the last Congress.
The Democratic-led House, with the help of some Republicans, voted to remove Gosar and Greene from committees in the last session.
Reinstated Republicans: Greene, Gosar reinstated to committees by GOP-led House after Democrats had removed them
The comparison to Marjorie Taylor Greene and Paul Gosar
Gosar was censured and removed from committees in November 2021 after posting an animated video that depicted violence against Biden and the killing of progressive Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. He was stripped of his seats on the Natural Resources and Oversight & Reform committees.
Greene was removed in February 2021 for a number of inflammatory posts on social media. She had embraced QAnon conspiracy theories and made past comments that the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks didn’t happen. She was ousted from seats on the Budget Committee as well as the Education and Labor panel.
Both Greene and Gosar have been restored to committees in the new Republican-led House.
Jeffries argued in his letter to McCarthy that “a bipartisan vote of the House found them unfit to serve on standing committees for directly inciting violence against their colleagues.”
Schiff and Swalwell, on the other hand, “have never exhibited violent thoughts or behavior.”
What McCarthy said to Jeffries in a letter
McCarthy formally responded to Jeffries in a letter Tuesday night, telling him “integrity matters more” than length of service on the committee and that he is rejecting Schiff and Swalwell.
“It is my assessment that the misuse of this panel during the 116th and 117th Congresses severely undermined its primary national security and oversight mission–ultimately leaving our nation less safe,” McCarthy said in the letter.
He said he’s committed to returning the committee “to one of genuine honesty and credibility that regains the trust of the American people.”
In a response issued late Tuesday, Schiff said McCarthy kicked off the committee because “I fought him and Donald Trump when they tried to tear down our democracy. If he thinks this will stop me, he will soon find out differently.”
‘Industrial-scale ticket scalping’: Senators grill Ticketmaster over Taylor Swift concert fiasco
Candy Woodall is a Congress reporter for USA TODAY. She can be reached at cwoodall@usatoday.com or on Twitter at @candynotcandace.
National Coffee Day 2022: Dunkin’, Starbucks, Panera Serve up Free Coffee and Other Deals
National Coffee Day is today, Sept. 29. You’ll find free drinks and discounts all day at your local coffeehouse and national chains like Dunkin’, Peet’s, Krispy Kreme and Panera. (Some deals extend through Oct. 1, which is International Coffee Day.)
Below, we’ve listed all the National Coffee Day deals you need to stay properly caffeinated. Be sure to check back for frequent updates.
For more on coffee, check out an easy way to make iced coffee at home and the best coffeemakers for 2022.
Aroma Joe’s
Grab a free 16-ounce coffee from Aroma Joe’s on National Coffee Day.
Aroma Joe’s
Aroma Joe’s is celebrating National Coffee Day with a free 16-ounce hot or iced coffee for all customers. AJ’s Rewards members can upgrade that to a free 24-ounce beverage.
Atlas Coffee Club
Get your first 12-ounce bag free with a subscription to Atlas Coffee Club, which offers premium single-origin coffee from Costa Rica, Kenya, Peru, Indonesia and other corners of the globe.
Use code ATLASCOFFEEDAY22 at checkout through Oct. 3 and all you’ll have to pay for is shipping.
Au Bon Pain
Enjoy a small drip coffee for $1 from Sept. 29 to Oct. 1 at participating Au Bon Pain locations.
Barnes & Noble
Buy a baked good and get a free coffee at Barnes & Noble.
Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg via Getty Images
B&N Cafes are celebrating National Coffee Day with a free tall hot or iced coffee by purchasing a bakery item of your choice.
Bean Box
Use promo code FREECOFFEE on the Bean Box website through Oct. 1 and get a free 12-ounce bag of coffee with purchase.
Blue Bottle
Buy any 8-ounce bag of Blue Bottle whole bean coffee and get a free pour-over or cold brew.
Smith Collection/Gado/Getty Images)
With more than 70 locations across Boston, California, Chicago, New York and Washington, DC, Blue Bottle offers a BOGO promotion on National Coffee Day: Buy any 8-ounce bag of whole bean coffee and get a free pour-over or cold brew.
Plus, on Sept. 29, all online orders get free shipping.
Bluestone Lane
in recognition of both National and International Coffee Days, the Australian-inspired coffee roaster is offering free coffee at all locations from Sept. 29 to Oct. 1. Order your beverage on the BL app up to the value of $5, and the credit will apply automatically at checkout.
Bluestone Lane has nearly 60 locations across the US, including shops in Boston, D.C., Houston, Los Angeles, New York, Philadelphia and San Francisco.
Bulletproof Coffee
On International Coffee Day, Oct. 1, Bulletproof Coffee is offering 25% off coffee products and add-ins like MCT oil and collagen protein, plus free shipping on US orders over $35.
Burger King
Every morning this week, between 6 and 10 a.m, Burger King Royal Perks members can get a free small BK Café Iced Coffee when they spend $1 or more on the BK app or bk.com.
Caribou Coffee
On Sept. 29, Caribou Coffee is offering $3 medium beverages for Caribou Perks members. New members get a free drink on their first visit after signing up.
The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf
On Sept. 29, the Southern California-based chain will install interactive Coffee Cams at select locations to encourage visitors to snap a picture of their favorite coffee beverage. Share your pics on social media using @thecoffeebean and #CoffeeBeanCoffeeCam and you’ll get a promo code on the Coffee Bean Rewards App for a free brewed or iced coffee.
Participating stores include the Manhattan Village location in Manhattan Beach and the Third Street Promenade location in Santa Monica.
Cult Coffee
First-time shoppers on the Cult Coffee website can get an item of their choice for free using the code FIRSTTIME at checkout. You’ll just need to pay for shipping.
Death Wish Coffee
Death Wish Coffee Death-Cups come in dark, medium and espresso roasts.
Death Wish Coffee
Death Wish Coffee, which has twice the caffeine of most brands, is enticing new customers with free sample packs of its Keurig-like Death-Cups featuring dark, medium and espresso roasts, while supplies last.
For existing customers, Death Wish is giving away a free tote bag with every order, along with other deals.
Delight Coffee
From Sept. 29 through Oct. 3, Delight Coffee is offering 30% off any purchase when you use code COFFEEDAY30.
Duck Donuts
Founded 16 years ago in Duck, North Carolina, by Russ DiGilio and Robin Griffith, Duck Donuts now has 100-plus locations across the US.
On Sept 29, you visit one and get a free medium hot coffee or cold brew with the purchase of a donut. Claim your beverage in person, on the Duck Donuts Rewards app or online with checkout code COFFEEDAY.
Dunkin’
Get a free medium hot or iced coffee with any purchase at Dunkin on Sept. 29.
NurPhoto / Getty Images
On National Coffee Day, DD Perks members get a free medium hot or iced coffee with any purchase.
Dunn Brothers Coffee
Founded in St. Paul, Minnesota, in 1987 by brothers Ed and Dan Dunn, Dunn Brothers Coffee now has 57 locations throughout the US.
For National Coffee Day, the chain is offering a free medium coffee when you use the Dunn Brothers reward app.
Dutch Bros Coffee
Scan your Dutch Bros app on Sept. 29 and you could win free coffee for a year.
Dutch Bros
Through Sept. 28, Dutch Rewards members can win free coffee for a month. On National Coffee Day, members who scan their Dutch Pass at one of the drive-through chain’s 600-plus locations will be entered to win free Dutch Bros java for an entire year.
For Wellness
Pro golfer Phil Mickelson launched For Wellness after being diagnosed with psoriatic arthritis. To celebrate National Coffee Day, the company is offering 25% off its Antioxidant Coffee.
Grounds & Hounds Coffee
From Sept. 26 through Sept. 30, Grounds & Hounds Coffee Co. will be offering 20% off sitewide. Customers that spend over $65 receive free espresso-infused caramels with their order by using FRESHBREWED at checkout.
Halo Top
Low-cal ice cream purveyor Halo Top is popping up outside coffee shops this fall to offer a free sample of its healthier alternative to the pumpkin spice latte. On National Coffee Day, Halo Top will be in Phoenix, Arizona — but you can see all the upcoming tour stops on the company’s Facebook page.
Ikea
Get 20% off ground coffee in Ikea’s food market through Oct. 4.
Ikea
Celebrate International and National Coffee Days at Ikea, where visitors can get a free cup of coffee and 20% off all Påtår coffee varieties in the Swedish Food Market.
The deal is good through Oct. 4, National Cinnamon Roll Day, and includes 20% off Kafferrep Cinnamon Buns. No assembly required.
Kolache Factory
Get a free 12-ounce coffee all day at Kolache Factory. Just mention the National Coffee Day offer when you come in to one of their 60-plus locations.
Krispy Kreme
Krispy Kreme is celebrating National Coffee Day with two deals: While all customers can get a free iced or hot coffee, no purchase necessary, Krispy Kreme Rewards members can also get a free donut of their choice.
La Colombe
Buy one 12-ounce box of La Colombe coffee beans on National Coffee Day and get a second box at half-price.
La Colombe
On National Coffee Day and International Coffee Day, La Colombe Coffee Roasters will be running a BOGO 50% off deal on all of its 12-ounce boxes of coffee beans. The deal, which includes All Dark, La Colombe’s first dark roast in over five years, runs through Oct. 1 both online and in La Colombe cafes.
You can also get 25% off cold brew and lattes using checkout code FALL25.
La Madeleine
La Madeleine is offering a free regular or large drip coffee to any guest who stops by the restaurant or orders online or through the app on Sept. 29.
La Mill
For both National and International Coffee Days, the LA-based roaster is taking 15% off all coffees and teas through Oct. 1.
McDonald’s
Download the McDonald’s app for $1 coffee for the rest of 2022.
Daniel Harvey Gonzalez/In Pictures via Getty Images
Through the end of the year, McDonald’s app rewards members can buy a hot or iced coffee for just $1.
Nick’s
For National Coffee Day, Nick’s ice cream is offering a free pint of Coffee Karamell with any order when you use code YAYCOFFEE.
Panera Bread
Join Panera’s Unlimited Sip Club on Sept. 29 and get two extra months for free.
Panera
The inaugural MyPanera Week kicks off on National Coffee Day, when new Unlimited Sip Club subscribers get two months of membership for free. (Existing members receive $2 off select coffee beverages and smoothies.)
More MyPanera Week deals are listed on the Panera website.
Pop & Bottle
Pop & Bottle Super Concentrate.
Pop & Bottle
This woman-owned coffee company is known for its organic, dairy-free oat and almond milk lattes. In honor of National Coffee Day, get a discount code for $4 off an 8-ounce bottle of Pop & Bottle Super Concentrate, which makes 16 cups of coffee.
Peet’s
Peet’s is handing out free small drip coffees with purchase at participating locations on National Coffee Day. Through Oct. 2, the coffee chain is also offering 20% off coffee beans, K-Cup pods and espresso capsules, plus free delivery for Peetnik Rewards Members who order through the Peet’s app.
And, as always, Peet’s offers a complimentary small coffee with the purchase of a pound bag of beans.
Sheetz
On National Coffee Day, Sheetz is offering a free cold brew coffee, any sizem with a purchase on the Sheetz app.
Shipley Do-Nuts
On National Coffee Day, Shipley Do-Nuts is offering a free medium house blend coffee with any purchase in-store or online with code COFFEE929.
Smoothie King
Visit a Smoothie King before 11 a.m. on Sept. 29 and get any 20-ounce espresso or cold-brew blended smoothie for just $5. When Smoothie King Healthy Rewards Members buy a coffee smoothie, they’ll receive a credit for a free smoothie at a later date. (You also get a free espresso shot reward in your account until Sept. 30.)
The brand is also sending a custom shipping container on tour starting on National Coffee Day, when it will pop up at Chicago’s Union Station to give away free coffee smoothie samples and exhibit street art from Sentrock and Ryan Bubnis.
Future stops on the Smoothie King “King of Coffee” pop-up experience and tour include Atlanta, Dallas and New Orleans.
Stan’s Donuts & Coffee
Stan’s Donuts & Coffee is offering a free small coffee or cold brew for anyone who orders through its app on National Coffee Day. In addition, the Chicago-based chain is offering 50% off its coffee subscription on Oct. 1.
Starbucks
Starbucks Rewards members can get a free bag of whole bean coffee for 400 Stars on National Coffee Day.
Tim Hortons
A quarter will get you a medium coffee at Tim Hortons on National Coffee Day.
Artur Widak/NurPhoto via Getty Images
On Sept. 29, you can get a medium hot or iced coffee for just 25 cents when you order through the Tim Hortons app or website.
The Canadian-based chain is also offering a 99-cent medium hot or iced coffee for the entire month of October, in celebration of International Coffee Day.
Utica Coffee Roasting Co.
Celebrate National Coffee Day with 20% off all coffees on-site at Utica Coffee. No discount code is required, but the offer is good only for Sept. 29.
Verve Coffee
On National Coffee Day, Verve Coffee is offering a free cup of coffee and a chance to win a Verve coffee subscription for a year.
Volcanica Coffee Company
In celebration of National and International Coffee Day, Volcanica Coffee is featuring 10% off all Ethiopian coffees with discount code COFFEEDAY22. The offer expires on Oct. 2.
Wendy’s
Get a free Wendy’s Vanilla Frosty-ccino with purchase through Oct. 5.
Wendy’s
From Sept. 29 to Oct. 5, get a free small coffee beverage of your choice — from a freshly brewed hot coffee to a Vanilla Frosty-ccino — with any purchase on the Wendy’s app.
Ziggi’s Coffee
On Sept. 29, the Colorado-based chain is giving away free coffee with any purchase on the Ziggi mobile app.
Las Vegas Raiders hire Sandra Douglass Morgan, 1st Black woman to serve as NFL organization’s team president
The Raiders have hired Las Vegas attorney Sandra Douglass Morgan as their new team president, becoming the first-ever Black woman to hold a team president title for an NFL franchise.
Morgan’s a Las Vegas native who comes to the Raiders after previously serving as chairwoman and executive director of the Nevada Gaming Control Board. She has also served as the director of external affairs for AT&T Services, Inc. in southern Nevada and as a litigation attorney for an international gaming and hospitality company.
“I am thrilled that Sandra has agreed to join the Raiders family,” Raiders owner Mark Davis said in a statement. “Her experience, integrity and passion for this community will be invaluable to our organization. From the moment I met Sandra, I knew she was a force to be reckoned with. We are extremely lucky to have her at the helm.”
Morgan, who was the first person of color to chair the Nevada Gaming Control Board, is the third woman and third African-American to become president of an NFL team.
She is also the latest Raiders hire to break barriers. Former Raiders coach Tom Flores was the first Hispanic head coach to win a Super Bowl title and former coach Art Shell was the first Black head coach of the NFL’s Super Bowl era.
Morgan, who spent eight years with the city of North Las Vegas, was also the first Black city attorney in the state of Nevada when she served in that role from 2013 to 2016.
“I definitely never want to be the last,” Morgan said, “and I want to get to a point where there is no more firsts.”
Morgan emphasized leadership and full transparency during her introductory press conference at Allegiant Stadium.
“We have so much more to do, and I’m excited to be at the helm of that growth and look forward to ushering in the new chapter for the Raiders,” said Morgan. “The fact is I have accepted this role because I believe in the promise of the Raiders, I believe in the future of the Raiders, and I believe in this organization’s tenets of community, integrity, and most of all, commitment to excellence.”
She takes over a team that has endured tumultuous times in its front office, with two presidents and several longtime executives leaving the organization in less than a year.
After Marc Badain resigned as president last summer, Dan Ventrelle took over in July 2021 on an interim basis and was promoted to the full-time role in January.
But Ventrelle was gone less than a year after joining the organization. In a statement to the Las Vegas Review-Journal, Ventrelle said he was fired in retaliation for bringing concerns from multiple employees to the NFL about a “hostile work environment.”
“It’s no secret that this organization has faced some recent challenges, but I want to be clear, I am not here to sweep anything under the rug or avoid problems or concerns that need to be addressed,” said Morgan. “It is not lost on me that this is a critical and defining moment in the NFL. It’s important to me and it is my intention to make a meaningful contribution well beyond the Raiders family.”
Star defensive end Maxx Crosby, who attended Morgan’s introduction, said Raiders players are excited to start a new chapter.
“It’s incredible,” Crosby said. “First off, just breaking barriers and Mark has done an incredible job and it started with his father. You know, just being transparent and giving everyone an equal opportunity. She’s honestly the best for the job and it’s going to be awesome, we’re excited for the future.”
Coach Josh McDaniels and general manager Dave Ziegler welcomed Morgan in a prepared statement.
“We congratulate Sandra Douglass Morgan on her historic hiring as team president and are excited to welcome her into the Raiders family. Sandra brings impressive leadership experience to the organization and we are thrilled to work with her as we continue to build a championship-caliber culture and team,” the statement said.
Morgan’s husband, Don, played with the Minnesota Vikings and the Arizona Cardinals between 1999 and 2002
The Associated Press contributed to this report
Andy Murray defends use of cheeky underarm serve in Wimbledon opener against James Duckworth
After his 4-6 6-3 6-2 6-4 victory, Murray explained in his post-match press conference that the decision to use the uncommon shot, more often used by his friend and fellow tennis star Nick Kyrgios, was a tactical one.
Funnily enough, Murray’s execution of the serve wasn’t especially pinpoint, with the shot too high and too long, but he won the point regardless.
“He [Duckworth] changed his return position, that’s why I did it,” Murray told reporters. “He was standing very close to return. He was struggling a little bit on the first-serve return, so he stepped probably two meters further back. As soon as I saw him step further back, I threw the underarm serve in.
“I personally have no issue with players using it. I never have. Certainly, more and more players have started returning from further, further behind the baseline now to give themselves an advantage to return.
“The underarm serve is a way of saying, ‘If you’re going to step back there, then I’m going to possibly throw that in.'”
There seems to be the unusual notion among a small minority of tennis fans that the underarm serve is in some way disrespectful to the opposing player.
READ: Britain’s Jodie Burrage comes to the aid of unwell ball boy with sweets during first round Wimbledon match
Murray disagrees.
“I don’t know why people have ever found it potentially disrespectful,” he said. “I’ve never understood that. It’s a legitimate way of serving. I would never use an underarm serve if someone was standing on the baseline because I think it’s a stupid idea because they’re going to track it down and it’s easy to get.
“If they stand four or five meters behind the baseline, then why would you not do that to try to bring them forward if they’re not comfortable returning there? Tactically, it’s a smart play. No one says it’s disrespectful for someone to return from six meters, whatever, five meters behind the baseline to try to get an advantage.
“So I used it not to be disrespectful to him but to say: ‘If you’re going to step further back to return the serve to give yourself more time, then I’m going to exploit that.'”
Feds Want R. Kelly to Serve More Than 25 Years in Prison
R. Kelly appears in an Illinois state courtroom in a 2019 file photo. (Image via Antonio Perez/pool via Getty Images.)
Federal prosecutors on Wednesday asked a U.S. District Court judge to sentence convicted sex trafficker R. Kelly to a prison sentence “in excess of 25 years.” That’s according to a federal sentencing memorandum.
“In light of the seriousness of the offenses, the need for specific deterrence and the need to protect the public from further crimes of the defendant, as well as the other factors set forth in [federal law], the government respectfully submits that a sentence in excess of 25 years is warranted,” prosecutors wrote.
The feds also reminded the judge that, in their opinion, Kelly remains technically eligible for a possible life sentence — but they left their recommendation open ended for the judge to consider.
Prosecutors are also asking for a fine of somewhere between $50,000 and $250,000.
A Brooklyn jury convicted the now-55-year-old R&B singer, known to the court system by his legal name Robert Sylvester Kelly, on racketeering, child exploitation, and other charges on Sept. 27, 2021. The jury agreed that Kelly was guilty of every count alleged but found that prosecutors did not prove three specific sub-accusations involving one specific victim.
“[W]ith the aid of his inner circle and over a period of decades, the defendant preyed upon children and young women for his own sexual gratification,” federal prosecutors asserted in Wednesday’s memorandum. “He lured young girls and boys into his orbit, often through empty or conditioned promises of assistance in developing a career in the entertainment industry or simply by playing into the minors’ understandable desire to meet and spend time with a popular celebrity.”
“In order to carry out his many crimes, the defendant relied upon his fame, money and popularity as an R&B recording star and used the large network of people his status afforded him – including his business managers, security guards and bouncers, runners, lawyers, accountants, and assistants – to both carry out and conceal his crimes,” those same prosecutors said further. “He continued his crimes and avoided punishment for them for almost 30 years and must now be held to account.”
The first nine pages of the single-spaced, 31-page sentencing memorandum read like a novella as to the accusations lodged during Kelly’s trial. The document then launched into a technical discussion of the offense level for each particular act for which Kelly was convicted.
Celebrity defense attorney Jennifer Bonjean, who previously represented Bill Cosby, recently took on the Kelly case.
Attorney Jennifer Bonjean spoke outside of Bill Cosby’s home on June 30, 2021 in Cheltenham, Pennsylvania, when Cosby was released from prison after an appeals court overturned his sex assault conviction. (Photo by Michael Abbott/Getty Images.)
Bonjean argued in an earlier May 27 motion that the appropriate sentencing range for Kelly was 168-210 months, or 14 to 17.5 years. She noted that the government had previously claimed that Kelly was eligible for a life sentence — an assertion she wished to refute.
“[M]any of the enhancements suggested by the government and probation are simply unsupported by the evidence and the law,” Bonjean wrote.
Bonjean asserted that Kelly should be sentenced as follows. The numbers indicate federal “offense levels” which are then used to calculate a sentence in accordance with a federal manual.
Racketeering Act One: Bribery – 12
Racketeering Act Two: Sexual Exploitation (Stephanie) – 32
Racketeering Acts Three and Four: Kidnapping and Mann Act Violations: (Sonya) – ACQUITTED
Racketeering Act Five: Mann Act Violation (Jerhonda) – 24
Racketeering Act Six: Forced Labor – (Jerhonda) – 32
Racketeering Act Seven: Sexual Exploitation of a Child – (Jerhonda) – 32
Racketeering Act Eight: Mann Act Violation (Jane) – 14
Racketeering Act Nine: Mann Act Violation (Jane) – 24
Racketeering Act Ten: Mann Act Violation (Jane) – 32
Racketeering Act Eleven: Forced Labor – (Jane) – 22
Racketeering Act Twelve: Mann Act Violation – (Faith) – 14
Racketeering Act Thirteen: Forced Labor – (Faith) – 22
Racketeering Act Fourteen: Mann Act Violation – (Faith) – 14
Federal prosecutors offered different offense levels on most, but not all, of the above acts. For instance, for Act Two, the feds recommended an offense level of 34, not 32. For Act Seven, the feds suggested an offense level of 36, not 32. Interestingly, though for Act Six, the feds suggested an offense level of 22, not a level of 32 as suggested by Bonjean.
Bonjean argued that some of the counts should be grouped together for calculation purposes as follows:
Racketeering Act One — 12
Racketeering Act Two — 32
Racketeering Acts Five, Six, and Seven — 32
Racketeering Act Eight — 13
Racketeering Acts Nine and Ten (Counts Two, Three, Four, and Five) — 32
Racketeering Act Eleven — 22
Racketeering Act Twelve (Counts Six and Seven) — 14
Racketeering Act Thirteen — 22
Racketeering Act Fourteen (Counts Eight and Nine) — 14
When rolled together, Bonjean says R. Kelly’s offense level is 35. That’s because the “highest offense level” is 32, and the level increases by three due to the number of “groups” listed above. When charted out with a “criminal history score” of “one” on a federal sentencing chart, that puts R. Kelly in a prison cell for 168-210 months, according to the defense.
Federal prosecutors countered that R. Kelly’s “total offense level” is actually 45. With a criminal history category of “I” (zero to one), the “applicable Guidelines range is life imprisonment.”
Bonjean also claimed that the government’s attempt to seek a “four-level enhancement” on some of the counts is not proper. That theory by the government asserted that Kelly was “an organizer or leader of a criminal activity that involved five or more participants or was otherwise extensive,” Bonjean noted. However, Kelly “argued extensively that the government failed to show the existence of an enterprise,” she suggested.
Specifically:
The government’s evidence showed that Defendant was a famous entertainer who employed many people over the years. Defendant was unquestionably the boss of his employees, but the government falls far short of establishing that he was a leader of criminal activity. Indeed, the government did not even attempt to prove criminal activity of the organization or other employees of the organization. A four-level enhancement is simply not warranted here.
Bonjean also asserted that one of the victims, Jane, was “directed” to lie about her age and, therefore, Kelly should not face an enhanced punishment on account:
Brazenly, the government seeks to enhance Defendant’s guidelines range under a theory that Jane’s parents entrusted Defendant to her supervision when she was a minor “purportedly to assist her with her musical career” after which Jane lived with the defendant. The record shows that Jane’s parents directed Jane to lie to Defendant about her age and then encouraged her to seduce him in April 2015 when she was 17 years old. The real-time text messages between Jane and her mother reveal that Jane’s mother wanted Defendant to promote Jane’s music career by commencing a romantic relationship with him. Again, the government seeks to sanitize the facts of this case which show that after Jane met Defendant for the first time, she immediately began traveling with Defendant and never returned home. Nothing in the record suggests that Jane’s parents objected to this relationship. The evidence shows quite the opposite. Indeed, Jane’s mother jokingly told her daughter weeks after Jane met Defendant that her son-in-law was going to be older than her. Jane’s mother certainly knew Jane’s age even if the Defendant did not.
The record does not show that Jane’s parents “entrusted” Defendant with Jane’s care, as much as, Jane was adamant that she wanted to live with Defendant in Chicago and Jane’s parents were eager to support her relationship with the Defendant, presumably because they hoped financial riches would flow to them. It was Defendant who sent Jane home after Jane disclosed that she was 17 years old. Regardless, Jane was not a minor in the state of Illinois at the age of 17 when she returned to Chicago shortly before her 18th birthday as the government contends. As such, an enhancement under this theory cannot apply.
Bonjean also promised to make additional arguments for a lower sentence in a supplemental brief.
Prosecutors, as previously noted, rubbished those suggestions and argued that Kelly was fully in control:
Given the breadth of the defendant’s conduct and its continuity over a period of decades, the government has little doubt that if afforded an opportunity to offend again, the defendant would do so. The instant offenses and the defendant’s history demonstrate that he poses a serious danger to the public. His actions were brazen, manipulative, controlling and coercive. He has shown no remorse or respect for the law. As set forth above, more than a decade ago, several women and girls retained legal representation to pursue charges against the defendant as a result of harm he had caused them. The harms raised in these matters included the defendant’s having sexual contact with minors who were too young to consent to such contact, exposing women and girls to genital herpes and physical assault. As a result of the defendant’s wealth, he was able to resolve these matters without facing criminal charges and instead paid his victims to settle these cases. Notwithstanding this opportunity to reform his behavior a second, third and fourth time, the defendant was not deterred and he continued to engage in criminal conduct. In fact, his conduct escalated.
“The sentence sought by the government would incapacitate the defendant until he reaches his 70s,” prosecutors said.
Bonjean recently convinced U.S. District Judge Ann M. Donnelly recently to push back Kelly’s sentencing date in Brooklyn.
Sentencing was scheduled for June 15, but it was shoved back to June 29 because Bonjean said she was struggling to meet with Kelly in a federal lockup due to Covid-19 restrictions. She also said she needed additional time for mitigation experts to properly examine the matter.
“No further adjournments will be granted,” Donnelly said while agreeing to that postponement.
The June 29 sentencing date in Brooklyn is still prior to Kelly’s trial in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. That case is scheduled to commence on August 1.
The federal sentencing table referenced above and the entire prosecution sentencing memo are both below:
Have a tip we should know? [email protected]