Reshona Landfair, known as Jane Doe in the famous 2002 R. Kelly tape, has spoken out about how the singer used her to protect himself from legal trouble for the first time in public.
Reshona Landfair, known as Jane Doe in the famous 2002 R. Kelly tape, has spoken out for the first time in public about how the singer used her to protect himself from legal trouble. She told Atlanta Black Star that Kelly groomed her from the time she was 13 and used her to control her family in an interview on February 3.
Landfair said that a family friend and R&B singer named Sparkle Edwards set up her first meetings with Kelly. Edwards was the one who introduced her to Kelly. She said, "That is the start of, um, him entering into my life in a different way than just being an artist or hanging out at the studio. It became more personable at that moment."
She talked about how Kelly had a mental hold on her. Landfair said,"And even in moments where I despised Robert, I still lied for him," She remembered how she had to protect him even though she knew it was wrong.
READ MORE: R. Kelly to Challenge Conviction With 'Explosive' New Evidence, Lawyer Says
Landfair also talked about how Kelly used threats and emotional manipulation to keep her parents quiet. "He utilized me against my parents, making threats of suicide and doing different things out of desperation to convince them to not turn on him," she said.
The abuse didn't stop after her 17th birthday, when Kelly told her that copies of a tape of her were being sent out, which made her feel "embarrassed."
She said, "That's one of my biggest regrets, not telling the truth. But again, when I have been trained and groomed since I was age 13, I started believing the lies that I was telling. It was very foggy and unclear on what I really felt versus what was right or what was wrong."
Landfair also said Kelly's legal strategy required her silence."I began to understand I was used and utilized for a purpose: to make sure Robert didn't go to jail," she said.
Sparkle Edwards, who introduced Landfair to Kelly, strongly denied that she had been grooming her niece. "Any suggestion that I groomed, facilitated, or enabled harm to my niece is untrue and deeply painful, especially given my documented actions at the time and throughout," Sparkle said.
Landfair's memoir, "Who's Watching Shorty?: Reclaiming Myself from the Shame of R. Kelly's Abuse," is about getting her identity back and changing how people see her as just "Jane Doe."
Kelly is now serving a 31-year sentence for federal crimes that include sexual abuse, exploitation of minors, and sex trafficking.
In other headlines,R. Kelly is reportedly terrified for his life and health while serving his 30-year prison sentence, according to TMZ. His attorneys say the singer broke down in tears during a recent phone call, fearing for his safety after being returned to a North Carolina prison's Special Housing Unit following a hospital stay for a medication overdose.
Kelly's legal team claims he is not receiving proper medical care, including treatment for blood clots and necessary blood thinners. They have requested home confinement and are working to obtain his full hospital records to support the request.
READ MORE: R. Kelly's Latest Bid for Freedom After Overdose Met With Brutal Response From His Former Accuser
© 2026 MusicTimes.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
