As R. Kelly faces a federal sexual assault trial in Chicago, jurors will see a video of the R&B crooner allegedly having sex with a minor.
CHICAGO (AP) — Woman testifies that R&B singer R. Kelly had sex with her “hundreds” of times before she turned 18 years old.
— philip lewis (@Phil_Lewis_) August 18, 2022
The New York Post reports that the jury will see three videotapes of the R&B crooner having sex with his 14-year-old goddaughter, Jane, during the trial.
“The defendant, Robert Kelly, had sex with multiple children,” US Attorney Jason Julien said. “He made videotapes of himself having sex with children.”
Julien also stated witnesses would testify to another tape that authorities accused R. Kelly of making but “covered it up” with his co-defendants, Derrel McDavid and Milton Brown.
The prosecutor described Kelly as having a “hidden side.”
“This trial is about Kelly’s hidden side,” Julien said.
R. Kelly’s attorney Jennifer Bonjean stated the government wants to paint the 55-year-old as a “monster.”
“When the government wants to paint him as a monster … you remember we are talking about a human being,” the defense attorney said.
She also stated that the Chicago native was “imperfect” and “stumbled along the way” from poverty to stardom.
Judge Declines The Request Of R. Kelly
A judge also declined Kelly’s motion to ban any jurors who have seen ‘Surviving R. Kelly,’ a documentary that uncovered predatory behavior. The request stated it was “too great a risk” if those jurors were allowed at trial.
U.S. District Court Judge Ann Donnelly sentenced R. Kelly to 30 years in prison after being found guilty in a sex trafficking case in June.
R. Kelly is facing child pornography and obstruction of justice charges for his alleged sexual relationships with underage girls.
