Reshona Landfair, the woman identified for years as “Jane Doe” in court documents tied to R. Kelly, is speaking publicly ahead of the release of her memoir, Who’s Watching Shorty?
In an interview with CBS News, Landfair described how her relationship with the singer began when she was young and later became a cycle of abuse and manipulation. She recalled learning that a videotape involving her was circulating widely. “I was empty,” she said. “I was very hollow inside. I was very confused and embarrassed.”
The tape led to criminal charges in 2002, though Kelly was acquitted in his first trial years later. Landfair now says she regrets not telling the full truth at the time. “That’s one of my biggest regrets,” she shared. “When I had been groomed since I was 13, I started believing the lies I was telling. Even when I despised Robert, I still lied for him.”
She also reflected on how the public reacted to the footage. “I was not made to be a victim. I was a mockery,” Landfair said. “That was very difficult to digest.”
Kelly was later convicted in federal and state court and sentenced to decades in prison. Landfair’s memoir, titled Who’s Watching Shorty?: Reclaiming Myself from the Shame of R. Kelly’s Abuse, is set for release on Feb. 3.