R. Kelly's Industry Contacts Have Reportedly Donated to Hire New Defense Lawyer

R. Kelly is under pressure to come up with the money to fund his defense. As a result, the singer is reportedly going to a well that has yet to run dry.

According to TMZ, Kelly's team has been contacting both fans and people in the industry in hopes to earn enough money so that he can retain defense attorney Tom Mesereau. R. Kelly's fan base will do anything to support him, but it's surprising to learn that Kelly still has supporters in the music business. Per sources, some unnamed industry members have responded to Kelly's requests by expressing a desire to donate to his cause.

It was first reported that Kelly needed monetary support in order to retain Tom Mesereau last week. Mesereau is a superstar lawyer that caught the public's attention in 2005. That year, Mesereau not only successfully defended actor Robert Blake—who was on trial for murdering wife—but he also got Michael Jackson acquitted of his child molestation charges. Yet for Kelly to land Mesereau, a few things would have to fall in place. First, the singer has to fire his current lawyer, Steven Greenberg. Once he does this, he'll reportedly get the funding he's been promised. But, even then, this alleged money still might not be enough to gain Mesereau's services as the components needed for Kelly to establish a credible defense could cost more than a million dollars to secure.

Kelly is looking to combat the mountain of charges stacked against him. In addition to being charged with sex crimes by the state of Illinois and federal authorities, Kelly's also been indicted by the state of Montana. It's also being suspected that Kelly might be looking at charges from crimes he allegedly committed in Detroit and Atlanta.