R Kelly Convicted On Child Pornography Charges

 

A federal jury in Chicago on Wednesday convicted disgraced R&B singer R. Kelly on child pornography charges for making videotapes of himself sexually abusing his then-14-year-old goddaughter decades ago, but according to The Chicago Tribune, acquitted him on charges that he conspired to obstruct justice in his 2002 Cook County case.

After about 11 hours of deliberation, the jury found Kelly, 55, guilty of three of the first four counts of the indictment, which charged the singer with the sexual exploitation of “Jane” for the purpose of producing child pornography. Those charges carry a minimum of 10 years in prison.

Kelly was acquitted, however, of the count alleging he videotaped himself having sexual contact with “Jane” and prosecution witness Lisa Van Allen. While Van Allen and Jane testified that the threesome occurred and was videotaped, jurors did not view footage from that encounter. Prosecutors said that’s because Kelly’s enablers successfully concealed it.

The onetime superstar, dressed in a blue suit and tie and black glasses, stared straight ahead and had no noticeable reaction to the jury’s decision. Despite his conviction on the most serious counts, his attorney, Jennifer Bonjean, pumped a fist and rubbed Kelly’s back as some of the “not guilty” verdicts were read.

Kelly was found guilty on three out of five counts related to enticement of a minor.

Kelly’s co-defendants, Milton “June” Brown and Derrel McDavid, were acquitted on all charges.

All three men were acquitted on charges that they conspired to receive child pornography.

Kelly and McDavid were acquitted on charges they conspired to obstruct justice in Kelly’s 2002 Cook County case. The two men also were acquitted on charges they received child pornography.

Jurors acquitted Kelly and his co-defendants on all counts related to their alleged attempt to cover up incriminating tapes while Kelly was awaiting trial in Cook County. The charges alleged a wide-ranging scheme to retrieve the videotapes and pressure Jane to keep quiet about her sexual contact with the singer.

The verdict marked the second criminal conviction for Kelly in the past year. In September 2021, a federal jury in Brooklyn found him guilty of racketeering conspiracy and eight other counts alleging the singer used his organization to lure and trap girls, boys and young women to satisfy his sexually predatory desires.

He was sentenced in June to 30 years in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Ann Donnelly.