R. Kelly Judge Steps Down From Case Accusing Singer of Ruining Mississippi Sheriff’s Marriage

A judge has stepped down from presiding over a lawsuit filed by a Mississippi sheriff accusing R. Kelly of having an affair with his wife, following the man demanding the judge recuse herself.

According to court documents obtained by The Blast, Circuit Judge Adrienne Wooten filed a recusal order stating she is granting Kenny Bryant's motion and removing herself from the case due to her prior knowledge of the alleged R. Kelly affair.

The case will now have another judge assigned to preside over the case.

Back in January, Bryant filed court docs demanding Judge Wooten step down. Bryant claimed that prior to hiring his current lawyer, he originally sought out legal advice from Wooten.

He claimed to have spoken to the judge, who was at the time still a lawyer, "to obtain advice on his marriage, the affair that his then-wife was having with R. Kelly, the likely divorce, and whether she would represent him in that divorce, and if he had a cause of action against R. Kelly."

He said, "In the course of his conversation, Plaintiff shared details regarding his relationship with his then-wife, and this potential suit with then-Attorney Wooten."

The judge originally assigned to the case retired during the pendency of the case and Wooten replaced the judge in December.

He says the judge declined to represent him following their conversations but says a reasonable person might question now-Judge Wooten’s “impartiality in this matter.”

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Back in 2017, Bryant sued R. Kelly, accusing him of carrying on an affair with his wife and ruining not only his marriage but his life. Mississippi is one of the only states that allow a person to sue another for breaking up their marriage.

Bryant married Asia Childress on July 15, 2012, and says he knew she had a relationship with Kelly prior to their marriage but was told it was over. He says the marriage was good until Kelly entered the picture again.

Bryant claims Kelly became involved in an intimate extramarital affair with Childress in October 2012. She attended his concert a few months after the wedding and Bryant claims that she rekindled her intimate relationship with the singer.

He accuses the singer of carrying out an affair with his wife for five years. Bryant even says Kelly gave his wife Chlamydia during their affair (Kelly denies having an affair with Childress).

Bryant says his wife even suggested they move to Georgia at one point, but Bryant claims she did so in order to move closer to Kelly. Bryant agreed to the move but says he was unable to find a job and it left him in financial ruin.

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Bryant claims every time the singer had a concert nearby, his wife would disappear to be with him. Bryant says he did all he could to hold onto his marriage, but ultimately it fell apart; Childress would later ask him for a divorce.

He sued seeking damages for Kelly ruining his marriage and depriving him of his spouse, love, support and conjugal affection. Bryant said he suffered emotional, psychological and financial loss.

Kelly filed court documents saying he does know Childress but denies he slept with her and caused Bryant’s marriage to crumble.

Kelly says he doesn’t owe Bryant a dime and wants to see the entire case thrown out.

The case is ongoing.