R Kelly Jury Watches Graphic Video Clips

Jurors in R. Kelly’s federal trial watched graphic clips Friday of three separate videos allegedly showing the R&B superstar sexually assaulting his young goddaughter in the late 1990s, reports The Chicago Tribune

While the visuals were obscured from view, courthouse observers could hear much of the audio. A woman testifying under the pseudonym “Jane” identified herself in court Thursday as the girl in the tapes and Kelly as the man, testifying that she was 14 years old when they were filmed.

On the clips, Jane was heard speaking in a high and very young-sounding voice. On one clip, she referred to her “14-year-old” genitals repeatedly. On another she repeated the phrase, as did the man alleged to be Kelly.

“Get on your knees,” Jane was told in another clip. “Daddy, do you still love me?” she responded.

“Of course I do,” was the answer.

Jane could be heard getting directions at several points on what she should do.

Kelly’s defense so far has not directly contested that it is Kelly on the video clips, only saying that their authenticity could not be verified and that Kelly was previously acquitted for conduct related to them. 

Prosecutors had asked U.S. District Judge Harry Leinenweber to clear the courtroom of media and spectators while the tapes were played since they contained alleged child pornography.

But Leinenweber declined, saying that forcing everyone to leave a public trial was too extreme and that having people hear the audio wasn’t “problematic.” Instead, he had courtroom personnel bring in large, black screens so spectators could not see the jurors or their monitors as they watched. Due to COVID-19 spacing protocols, the jury is seated in the courtroom gallery rather than in the jury box.

Spectators and reporters in the courtroom, meanwhile, were asked to sit in specific areas so they could not see the videos as they played on monitors at the defense and prosecution tables.

The videos are at the heart of the case against Kelly and his two co-defendants, who are accused of conspiring to pay off victims and witnesses and cover up years of alleged sexual abuse of minors by Kelly.

Kelly, 55, is charged with 13 counts of production of child pornography, conspiracy to produce child pornography and conspiracy to obstruct justice. Some of the counts carry a mandatory minimum of 10 years behind bars if convicted, while others have ranges of five to 20 years in prison. Prosecutors are also seeking a personal money forfeiture of $1.5 million from Kelly.