R Kelly’s Lawyers Claim That He appear in Court Because He 'Can’t Read'

R. Kelly‘s lawyers claim the rapper is unable to read, and have said this is the reason why the shamed musician recently could not show up in court.

His failure to respond to a lawsuit by Heather Williams - who accused him of sexual abuse when she was 16 - led to her being granted victory in a civil case.

According to TMZ, his lawyers Zaid Abdallah and Raed Shalabi have claimed that Kelly’s inability to understand the papers summoning him to court meant he didn’t show up, writing that he ‘suffers from a learning disability that adversely affects his ability to read.’

The attorneys added that the singer was in the Cook County jail in Chicago for failing to pay child support at the time he was served with the papers - and said the papers for the civil suit should have been delivered to his residence at the Trump Towers or to his legal counsel. Williams' lawyer has said security at his residence made that impossible. His team have asked the court to vacate the decision.

Kelly is still yet to face a criminal case, which contains allegations that he sexually assaulted three teenage girls and a woman.