R. Kelly Not Guilty!!!!
So that's that for the big R. Kelly trial. According to a Chicago Tribune report, a Cook County jury this afternoon acquitted Robert Kelly, finding the r&b megastar not guilty on 14 counts of child pornography.
Those charges stem from a video tape that surfaced in 2002, one which depicts a man thought to be Kelly engaged in various sex acts with a young girl-- allegedly Kelly's goddaughter-- thought to be as young as 13 at the time. After making headline news all those years ago, the case finally went to court early last month.
As neither Kelly nor the girl thought to be on the tape gave testimony, prosecutors instead relied on testimony from acquaintances of the two in an attempt to paint the relationship between Kelly and his goddaughter as a less than savory one.
Kelly's defense, meanwhile, sought to establish that the man in the tape was not in fact the singer, and that the girl was actually a prostitute and not his goddaughter. The crux of their argument surrounded a mole that appears on Kelly's back but, they argued, does not appear on the back of the man in the video. Both Kelly and the girl in question long denied being on the tape.
After seven and a half hours of deliberation today, the jury reached its verdict. And there you go.
Officially a free man, R. Kelly plans to drop a new album, 12 Play: Fourth Quarter, this summer.
Those charges stem from a video tape that surfaced in 2002, one which depicts a man thought to be Kelly engaged in various sex acts with a young girl-- allegedly Kelly's goddaughter-- thought to be as young as 13 at the time. After making headline news all those years ago, the case finally went to court early last month.
As neither Kelly nor the girl thought to be on the tape gave testimony, prosecutors instead relied on testimony from acquaintances of the two in an attempt to paint the relationship between Kelly and his goddaughter as a less than savory one.
Kelly's defense, meanwhile, sought to establish that the man in the tape was not in fact the singer, and that the girl was actually a prostitute and not his goddaughter. The crux of their argument surrounded a mole that appears on Kelly's back but, they argued, does not appear on the back of the man in the video. Both Kelly and the girl in question long denied being on the tape.
After seven and a half hours of deliberation today, the jury reached its verdict. And there you go.
Officially a free man, R. Kelly plans to drop a new album, 12 Play: Fourth Quarter, this summer.
Recent News
Most Read News
- The Pitchfork Guide to Upcoming Releases: Spring 2008
- The Pitchfork Guide to Summer Festivals 2008
- Dear God, Please Let This Be the Lil Wayne Album Cover
- My Bloody Valentine Lead Unfuckingbelievable Lineup for New York All Tomorrow's Parties Fest
- Is This Really the New Weezer Album Cover?
- My Bloody Valentine Announce North American Tour!
- Tom Waits Reveals "Glitter and Doom" Tour
- Radiohead Reveal Second Leg of North American Tour
- Sigur Ros Line Up Summer Tour Dates
- Coldplay Reveal Viva la Vida Tracklist
- Sigur Rós Announce Full North American Tour
- Photos: Bonnaroo [Saturday]
- Wolf Parade March Out New LP Tracklist
- Photos: Sasquatch! Festival [Monday] (NSFW)
- Weezer Confirm Title, First New Photo Revealed
- Natalie Portman Stars in New Devendra Banhart Video
- Beck Announces Summer Tour
- Sonic Youth Reveal Starbucks Hits Comp Details
- Wolf Parade Announce Summer Tour
- Pitchfork's Guide to Record Store Day
- Photos: Bonnaroo [Thursday/Friday]
- Sigur Ros Sneak Peeks of New Album, Expand Tour
- Radiohead Best Of Details Revealed
- Radiohead, Live Nation Respond to Virginia Washout
- Peter Hook Talks New Order Split, DVD, Joy Division
- Was Bonnaroo Really M.I.A.'s "Last Gig Ever"?
- Tom Waits Extends "Glitter and Doom" Tour
- Weezer Reveal New Album Title? Or April Fool's Joke?
- Islands Announce New Album Tracklist, Tour
- Wolf Parade Join the 2008 Cover Art Hall of Fame
- The Conor Oberst Album Cover Is Dreamy
- Crystal Castles Caught Up in Artwork Controversy
- Built to Spill Reveal Full-Blown Perfect Tour
- Flaming Lips Add Shows, Christmas on Mars Screening
- The New Mogwai Album Tracklist Is Amazing
- The New Wolf Parade Album Title Is Terrible
- The New Mogwai Album Cover Is Disappointing
- My Morning Jacket Announce Lengthy American Tour
- Pitchfork.tv Launches in One Week! Schedule Revealed!
- Arcade Fire Scoring Donnie Darko Dude's New Movie
- Josh Homme Defends Himself: "Homophobic? I'm in Queens of the Stone Age for Crissake"
- Radiohead, Prince at Odds Over Blocked YouTube Vids
- Radiohead to Go "Green" on "Conan O'Brien"
- Feist Does "1234" on "Sesame Street", Adds Dates
- Radiohead, Interpol, Pornos Fete Independents Day
- R. Kelly Not Guilty!!!!
- Crystal Castles Respond to Chip Music Controversy
- Kanye West Responds to Bonnaroo Haters
- Wanna Open for Coldplay?
- Sub Pop Announces 20th Anniversary Bash