R. Kelly‘s apparently former crisis manager Darrell Johnson continues to change his tune about whether he’d leave his 21-year-old daughter with the embattled singer. Johnson also went into detail about why he stepped down as one of Kelly’s team members.
On Monday Johnson was a guest on “CBS This Morning,” and co-host Gayle King asked if he’d leave his daughter with the 52-year-old, considering the charges Kelly is looking at.
Kelly is facing Illinois state charges as well as federal charges in Chicago and New York that include sexual misconduct, child pornography, enticement of a child and obstruction of justice.
He’s currently behind bars at the Metropolitan Correctional Center in Chicago, and last week a judge ordered him to remain locked up after denying his bond.
“I would not leave my daughter with anyone that’s accused of being a pedophile,” Johnson told King. “I would not.” He then repeated those words after King called that decision a contradiction.
Then, hours later, after Johnson walked back that response and said he “should have worded it better,” he told USA Today that he was stepping down as Kelly’s crisis manager for personal reasons. Johnson also said he absolutely would leave his daughter with the singer “because I do not believe he is a pedophile.”
Next, in a video published by TMZ on Wednesday, Johnson offered more details about his reasons for quitting, a decision he reportedly has yet to tell Kelly about — at least not directly.
“I had some personal issues back at my hometown,” stated Johnson. “I decided at this particular time that it was best to step away. One of my family members is on their deathbed right now, and I’m going to attend to that.”
Johnson then talked about the “CBS This Morning” interview, and the comment he made about leaving his daughter with Kelly. He explained the interview was pre-recorded and suggested it could’ve been edited better. But the crisis manager said he holds no ill will toward King or the network.
“I have nothing against Gayle, CBS, nothing at all,” he stated. “I just think when you do a taped interview it can be chopped up and my words are my words. … If I had to do it again, I would 1000 percent leave my daughter —which this is not what this is about — with Mr. Kelly if I had to leave … I believe at the end of the day he will be acquitted again.”
