After less than a day of deliberations, R. Kelly was found not guilty of 14 counts of videotaping himself having sex with a minor.Although it took more than six years for the case to reach the Chicago courtroom, it only took seven hours for the jurors to conclude there was enough reasonable doubt for the R&B singer to avoid serving four to 15 years behind bars. If he was found guilty, he would have had to register as an Illinois sex offender.
The case began in February 2002 after Chicago Sun-Times music critic Jim DeRogatis was sent a copy of the now-infamous videotape allegedly featuring Kelly engaging in sexual acts with an underaged girl. The tape was turned over to authorities, but the trial was delayed numerous times. It finally reached the courtroom last month.
One of the possible causes for the jurors skepticism was the mole on the back of the man in the video, which prosecuters used to identify Kelly. The 41-year-old singer's lawyers called on a forensic expert to prove the videotape may have been manipulated to purposely frame Kelly. They also suggested the poor quality of the video may have caused a shadow to look like a mole.
Several other people took the stand on behalf of the defense to call into question the credibility of the prosecuter's witnesses. One such woman was Lisa Van Allen, another woman in the video. After the verdict was read, Van Allen told the Chicago Sun-Times that she believed Kelly's "star power" swayed the jury.
"R. Kelly was found not guilty, because they had the best jury that Cook County could produce," Kelly's attorney, Sam Adam Jr. said outside the courtroom.
R. Kelly did not testify before the juror, nor did the now-23-year-old alleged victim, who refused to cooperate with the Cook County District Attorney's Office.
