R. Kelly Found Guilty of Child Porn and Enticement of a Minor Charges
For the second time in less than a year, R. Kelly has been found guilty of multiple sex crime charges in court today.
After being found guilty of sex trafficking and racketeering in a separate trial last September, on Wednesday (Sept. 14), R. Kelly has now been found guilty on six of 13 counts in an indictment in his Chicago federal sex crimes trial. A jury of 12 people found the embattled R&B singer guilty on three of the four child pornography counts, and guilty on three of the five enticement of a minor counts.
The jury acquitted Kelly of conspiring to obstruct justice, conspiring to receive child pornography, and receiving child pornography, according to a tweet from Chicago Tribune reporter Megan Crepeau, who has been covering the trial.
“The guilty verdicts finally hold Robert Kelly accountable for the sexual abuse of a 14-year-old girl, and they help right the wrongs that occurred in a prior prosecution in Cook County,” said John R. Lausch, Jr., the United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, in a statement on Wednesday. "The damage Mr. Kelly inflicted on his victims is immeasurable. I want to thank the victims for their strength, perseverance, and courage in coming forward to testify at trial."
"With regard to the not-guilty verdicts, we respect the jury’s decision," he continued. "While certain aspects of the charges and the trial made it difficult to obtain convictions for all of the charged conduct, it is clear that justice has been served by the guilty verdicts returned today."
Kelly faced an uphill battle after being charged with 13 counts of producing and receiving child pornography, conspiracy to obstruct justice and enticing minors to engage in criminal sexual activity. During the trial, the jury was made to watch multiple sex tapes allegedly involving the embattled singer and underage girls. They also heard testimony from the woman who was underage at the time and featured in the tape that R. Kelly went on trial for in 2008, after he was charged with child pornography that year. Kelly was acquitted in 2008, due in large part to the girl's unwillingness to take the stand against the R&B legend.
The woman in the tape and her family spoke against Kelly in this current trial under the condition of immunity.
"What R. Kelly wanted was to have sex with young girls," Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeannice Appenteng said during closing arguments on Tuesday (Sept. 13). "And what the people around him wanted... they wanted to help their boss, including helping him get away with it."
R. Kelly's attorney, Jennifer Bonjean, argued that the State's witnesses could not be trusted and had ulterior motives.
Also on trial were Kelly's former business manager, Derrel McDavid, and associate, Milton "June" Brown, who were both accused of conspiring to bribe witnesses in the 2008 case. Both men were acquitted of their charges today. Their legal council argued they had no idea Kelly was committing such crimes. The trial took a month to be heard, with the jury bearing witness to over eight hours of closing arguments. One juror was replaced on the day of closing arguments after suffering a panic attack and being dismissed.
R. Kelly's sentencing will come at a later date. In June, he was sentenced to 30 years in prison after being found guilty of sex trafficking and racketeering in New York. His legal team plans to appeal the verdict.
XXL has reached out to R. Kelly's attorney and the United States District Attorney for comment.