R Kelly's Lawyer, Publicist Sever Ties With Singer

R. Kelly's Lawyer, Publicist Sever Ties With Singer.
R. Kelly's lawyer and publicist have severed ties with the singer, Rolling Stone has confirmed. The departure of his lawyer was first reported by the BBC on Friday.In a statement, Kelly's publicist, Trevian Kutti, told Rolling Stone, "effective April 16, 2018, I no longer represent Mr. Robert Kelly." In a separate statement, the singer's attorney, Linda Mensch, said, "I no longer represent R. Kelly. My resignation was unrelated to any allegations related to Mr. Kelly’s social life." She previously worked for the singer for four years.In addition, BBC reports that Kelly's executive assistant, Diana Copeland, who worked with the singer for over a decade, has also left his employ as of April 1st. Rolling Stone was unable to independently verify this by press time.The reasons behind the departures are unknown. The news of their exit comes soon after the release of a BBC documentary, R. Kelly: Sex, Girls and Videotapes, which investigated the numerous allegations ­­– including alleged sexual relationships with underage women, mental and physical abuse of women and "brainwashing" women in a "cult" – against the singer.In addition, a Dallas woman filed a police report on Monday alleging that she was "being groomed for R. Kelly's sex cult" and that he "knowingly and intentionally infected her with a sexually transmitted disease without her knowledge." A representative for Kelly said the singer "categorically denies all claims and allegations."The role of denying accusations against Kelly had previously been handled by Mensch. When Buzzfeed published an investigative report in 2017 alleging that Kelly oversaw a "cult," Mensch offered a rebuttal on the singer's behalf. "We can only wonder why folks would persist in defaming a great artist who loves his fans, works 24/7, and takes care of all of the people in his life," she said. Related Content:10 Best Country and Americana Songs of the Week: Tyler Farr, Tenille Townes and MoreThe State-by-State Guide to Weed in America 'Smallville' Star Allison Mack Arrested for Alleged Ties to Sex Cult