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R. Kelly Found Not Guilty in Child Porn Case
Saturday June 14, 2008

R Kelly
R. Kelly arrives at Cook County Court for his court hearings December 20, 2007 in Chicago, Illinois.
Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images

A Chicago jury of nine men and three women found singer R. Kelly not guilty on all counts at his child pornography trial Friday.

He faced 4 to 15 years in prison.

The case — involving 14 criminal counts of alleged taped sex acts with an underage girl — went to jurors on Thursday after a month-long trial.

The prosecution's main witness, Lisa Van Allen, claimed to have had three-way sex with the singer and the alleged victim — Kelly's goddaughter — who was 13 or 14-years-old when the sex tape was made in 1998.

Both Kelly, 41, and the victim denied they appeared in the tape (which was played for the jury). Neither took the stand during the trial.

"During this trial we have heard from 14 people that personally identified [the girl]. Twelve of them identified R. Kelly," prosecutor Robert Heilingoetter said in his closing argument.

The defense maintained the 27-minute tape — which the jurors were shown — is an elaborate fake. (Defense attorneys argued that the man on the tape didn't have a large mole on his back, as Kelly does.)

Kelly's attorney called Van Allen "a liar" and "an extortionist."

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PagePosted by Mandi Illuzzi at 9:06 am ET     Permanent Link | 109 Comments
Categories: R. Kelly


2:47 PM Anonymous Says:

Money does talk, I think it's so sad that he is getting away with all of this. Because, as I understand that money talks, there is a jury, and considering that it is up to them on wether or he not he gets to go to jail or walks away free again, They should have made the right decision. I think it's rediculous that he keeps getting away with these crimes, did anyone ask him to show his "mole" in court? He could have easily went to the dr.'s to get it surgically removed. So in the video it does'nt show off this so called "big mole" yet they state he has one, but does he really? I hope they did not just take his word for it. That man is a ped. and I doubt he will meet the heavens gates, he will be in darkness with fire

4:21 PM Anonymous Says:

9:15 & 2:23
Opinions are just like A$$ holes.
everyone has 1, you just have 2 SweetCheeks

4:10 PM Anonymous Says:

You have issues bigger then Obama!!

2:23 PM Anonymous Says:

Like I said before kid, excuses are for losers. I havent been a teenager in a long time, nor do I believe in writing in all caps makes me smarter, it just makes you the one that yells the loudest...so really who is the teenager? Keep holding your bible around your sins, Im sure it keep syou warm at night :*

2:17 PM Anonymous Says:

9:15
HONEY, when you address someone as a kid, you would suspect a teenager writing this. Well Baby Doll, I'm not a KID. However YOU didn’t get my point. He will have his day at those beautiful gates. Only God can be the one who will judge him for the things he as done in HIS life. Just like your's, YOU will be the only one judge for the things YOU have done in your life. Just like everyone else in the world. Like I said before it’s between him and the good Lord upstairs!
2nd of all MONEY TALKS IN THE WORLD NOW A DAYS
look at OJ. over 10 years later he got drunk and told off on himself about killing his lovely wife. But AGAIN, MONEY TALKS!!!
now do you get my point Buttercup?!
MONEY TALKS!!! MONEY TALKS!!! MONEY TALKS!!! MONEY TALKS!!! MONEY TALKS!!! MONEY TALKS!!! MONEY TALKS!!! MONEY TALKS!!! MONEY TALKS!!! MONEY TALKS!!! MONEY TALKS!!! MONEY TALKS!!! MONEY TALKS!!! MONEY TALKS!!!

1:01 PM Anonymous Says:

Shar- You sound as ignorant as the rest of the people saying that r kelly can do no wrong! Lindsay and the other fools are not hurting anyone but themselves! Not having sex with little girls. Lets be smart and think if you are doing something illegal, why not leave the camera in the box! And of course his sales wont go down because people like you will always buy them. I am not black or white, and my race does not play apart at all. His race isnt what got him off, it was his money. So unless you are the same color as him which is GREEN, I suggest you pipe down and stop looking like a fool

9:15 AM Anonymous Says:

4:59- You are completely correct, no one is perfect, we all make "bad choices." I am not perfect, HOWEVER I do not think that it would be a good idea to rape a 14 year old girl, pee on her, film it, and then proceed to deny it after the video was found. That is BEYOND making a bad choice so I can only imagine what decisions you make and ride off as a "bad choice." You saying nobody is perfect is just an excuse for people to do stupid things and have something to hide behind. Well let me tell you something kid, excuses are for losers!

I am sure you and Kelly will be in that handbasket together...

4:59 PM Anonymous Says:

You know we all are NOT perfect!! We all make mistakes!!
No one died to make YOU just perfect!!
I like R.Kelly & his music. He may have made bad choice, but that’s between him and the good man upstairs to take care of. Just like all these FAMOUS people having kids w/out being married. I'm sorry for the child, but you’re born out of wed-lock! Have ya ever thought about that Ang-Brad ?! But yet, everyone of ya'll LOVE her!
AGAIN, IT’S BETWEEN THEM AND THE GOOD MAN UPSTAIRS!!
WHY JUDGE PPL?!

3:46 PM Anonymous Says:

For the R. Kelley fans,
I hope he pees on you...

1:46 PM Anonymous Says:

I saw the tape.
It IS R.Kelly
Youre a BAD BAD person RKelly.. peeing on a young girls face..

God Bless America

1:00 PM Smarty Says:

Hey 5:59am...

No one in 2:21 ever claimed they were the real R. Kelly, they were just quoting him.. Geeeez, there... calm down...especially with the preaching. I think its nasty too but quit preaching on an US Weekly comment board while thinking R.Kelly is actually making posts...

12:53 PM Anonymous Says:

R. Kelly sucks!

12:46 PM Anonymous Says:

If he is still able to sell records sucessfully I have lost faith in my black community. This is disgusting. But I guess America really is becoming colorblind. I mean as long as you have money you can apparently get away with anything. He mustv'e paid off that girl or something thats the only way she would not so readily confess.

12:45 PM Shar Says:

Everytime a black person gets off you have all these white people with something smart to say... What about all the white people that do foolish things and get away with it Lindsey Lohan that was crack that she had and two DUI's and she got nothing and his sales will not go down because he is R. Kelly Bi***es

7:03 AM Anonymous Says:

This case is NOTHING like the OJ case. The only thing R Kelly and OJ have in common is that they're black and rich. Rich enough to hire attorneys that defend them in any way possible. R Kelly's attorneys held up the case for this many years, which is what probably won the case. Rich white people get off all the time. This is a case of being rich, not being black. I'm sure his attorney fees were high so hopefully now he's broke!

6:58 AM Anonymous Says:

7:11 AM Anonymous Says:

It sure seems like black athletes get by with murder and everything else. My quesiton is why so long to get to trial. Hes so guilty.
----------------------
R Kelly is not an athlete.

12:31 AM 1BOLD1 Says:

I Love you Kells!!! Hugs and Kisses!!! I can't wait for the next CD and the tour. Don't pay attention to all of the negativity...just keep doing what you do best...making music. I hope that you have a very Happy Father's Day !!!!

5:11 PM Anonymous Says:

He's as innocent as OJ Simpson. ENOUGH SAID.

4:54 PM Anonymous Says:

Hopefully his record sales with go down the toilet. What a scum bag he is.

4:01 PM Anonymous Says:

I can't believe he got away with it.....he's so disgusting, Since this happened i have turned him off when he came on tv and radio and will continue to do so.......he shouldn't of been making music while this was going on........its true what they say....money talks, if this was a non famous person he was of been done for underage sex and put in jail

9:02 AM Parents? Says:

The parents should be charged with child neglect!

5:59 AM Anonymous Says:

2:21 IF YOU ARE THE REAL R KELLY YOU NEED HELP ONLY YOU AND GOD NO THE REAL TRUTH AND IF THE JURY DIDN'T FIND YOU GUILTY GOD IS THE ONE YOU NEED TO BE SCARED OF !!! I THINK YOU DID DO IT I WILL TURN OFF THE RADIO WHEN YOU ARE ON IT ! YOU HAVE A SICKNESS !

5:59 AM Anonymous Says:

2:21 IF YOU ARE THE REAL R KELLY YOU NEED HELP ONLY YOU AND GOD NO THE REAL TRUTH AND IF THE JURY DIDN'T FIND YOU GUILTY GOD IS THE ONE YOU NEED TO BE SCARED OF !!! I THINK YOU DID DO IT I WILL TURN OFF THE RADIO WHEN YOU ARE ON IT ! YOU HAVE A SICKNESS !

2:55 AM Anonymous Says:

This trial should have not occured in Chicago, where a man like R. Kelly can BUY himself out of jail. I feel sorry for the girl who was RAPED at 13 and the other KIDS whom he used and raped. This man is evil towards children and now is walking free.

2:21 AM Anonymous Says:

yes yes Kells rocks,

"Man, I tell you it's enough to make you wanna give it up
Thank God for my fans 'cause through it all they show me love
To my sister and two brothers
Tell me why can't we just try to get along with one another
And stop hurtin' one another, fightin' one another
Man, I pray to God He get my family back together
Let me see what wanna see, just to blind me
All of these luxuries, wine and dining
And then You push me out in front to get behind me
Then You sat me up by blessin' me to bind me
I'm a grown man with kids now, stakes are higher
Gotta go to church now to avoid the fire
Frankly, y'all to keep it real I'm just tired
Have dreams of bein' dead, but the devil is alive"

much love R. Kelly...

2:15 AM Anonymous Says:

Ummmm, NONE of the jury thought he was guilty that is why they came back with NOT guilty. I'm not saying if I agree or not but to say most of the jury thought he was guilty is stupid because if that were so they would still be deliberating. You have to have a unanimous verdict or it's a mistrial.

12:25 AM Tyson Says:

People say America is still a racist country. It is. We all (or most of us, at least) have something inside of us, making us feel something about someone based purely on their race. Those things take a long time to heal.

Anyway, while racism exists, it pales in comparison to classism. Rich people live in a completely different world than the rest of us. Whether it's OJ, R. Kelly, Paris, Robert Blake, the CEO of some huge company...it doesn't matter. Their money makes them virtually bulletproof. If they do something wrong, they get a light punishment..or no punishment at all. If someone has dirt on them, they tie the person up in court and get their lawyers to put gag orders on them...or they simply buy them off.

All people are not created equal. Wealth gives you enormous/far-reaching power. Regular people have to play by the rules.

11:08 PM Eden Says:

I hope R Kelly leaves the young girls alone and moves on with his life. I did not see the tape so I cannot judge. From this moment onward he would be wise to thank God for his freedom. He has a remarkable talent and should now focus on what comes next. The legal/justice system has made a decision so let it go folks. We have men and women dying overseas, VETS not receiving what they need when they return home, gasoline prices on the rise; unemployment going up; home forclosures by the thousands;people who are losing their homes because of tornado's/floods/fires/mud slides (no insurance coverage); youth in jail/juvenile detention; younger generation (youth) being diagnosed and on meds;folks with no insurance, homelessness,etc.....let's refocus our energy people.

10:52 PM Anonymous Says:

OJ all over again. How truly sad.

10:07 PM tangie Says:

I saw the tape. That was R kelly without a doubt. His money and fame got him off. I am still in shock. Some people are stupid to state that race got him off. That had nothing to do with it. If race played a part he would be sitting in a jail cell tonight facing sentencing.

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