And so the singers trial begins today in Chicago as he’s been in jail since 2019 when he was first convicted on nine counts of racketeering and ten counts of aggravated criminal sex abuse. However he needed up getting released on bail after pleading not guilty.
But low and behold the ‘I Believe I Can Fly’ hitmaker was then taken into custody in March 2019 for failing to pay his former wife Andre $161,000 in child support.
On Wednesday, prosecutors painted the picture of Kelly’s stardom by opening the trial with R. Kelly’s multi Grammy award winning hit ‘I Believe I Can Fly’.
The Chicago Tribune reported: “As Kelly’s mellifluous tones filled the large ceremonial courtroom at the Dirksen U.S. Courthouse; his lead attorney, Jennifer Bonjean, seemed visibly pleased that the jury was hearing one of her client’s most recognized hits. Furthermore, she placed her hand on Kelly’s shoulder in solidarity as they watched. “
Shocking Witness Set To Appear In The Trial
Although it’s unclear how long that smile will last because the then-14 year old girl allegedly seen in multiple child pornography tapes with R. Kelly from the late 1990s having sex with him is expected to testify. She’s expected to discuss the hundreds of sex tapes they created together according to CNN. As a result, the tapes showing the alleged encounters were part of a 2008 Illinois child pornography trial in which Kelly was acquitted after the witness declined to take the stand.
Now nearly 40 years old, she is finally expected to testify, using the pseudonym “Jane,” said Assistant US Attorney Jason Julien during his opening statement.
“Jane’s going to testify. Jane’s going to tell you that it’s her on the videos,” Julien told jurors. “That it’s Kelly on the videos having sex with her. Kelly’s charges stem from when he sexually abused five minors in the late 1990’s and he continued to build his ‘home for women’. The Chicago native would recruit women globally, most young girls, selling them pipe dreams of being signed to his label. Instead, he would sexually abuse the women, controlling them in aggregious ways, even defacating and urinating on some of the women allegedly.
Nonetheless, Kelly’s attorney Jennifer Bonjean did push back to the jurors, asking why now is it that Jane is coming forward after so long, allegedly contradicting statements told to authorities back in the late 90’s.
Meanwhile, two of his former friends are co-defendants in the case. They’re Derrel McDavid and Milton “June Brown. The two men were employed by Kelly as his business manager and assistant. Subsequently, they both plead not guilty to child pornography and obstruction charges and one count of conspiracy to receive child porn.
“The defendant Robert Kelly had sex with multiple children. He made videotapes of himself having sex with young children. And these two defendants Derrel McDavid and Milton Brown knew about it. They helped Kelly cover it up and keep it a secret”, attorney Jason Julien said during opening statement.
cnn