R Kelly Chicago trial is underway as jury selection begins on Monday. The R&B singer faces charges that he rigged his 2008 state child pornography trial by threatening and paying off a girl with whom he allegedly filmed himself having sex when he was around 30 and she was no older than 14.
Due to the 2008 trial, Kelly was acquitted. Since the witnesses didn’t want to testify jurors felt no need to pursue the case. But now one of the girls involve stated she’d come forth and testify.
Kelly, 55, previous sentencing in New York included a 30-year prison term. The NY 2021 conviction charges included that he used his fame to sexually abuse other young fans.
According to reports, the Trapped in the Closet artist showed up wearing a light gray suit and a tie. He sat next to his attorney Jennifer Bonjean.
The court brought in two dozen potential jurors for the R Kelly Chicago trial.
Jurors are said to be picked by Tuesday. The trial may run for a month. Bu to avoid prejudices people who watched the Surviving R Kelly documentary may not be selected.
According to the NY Post, his defense attorney Jennifer Bonjean wrote a filed letter on Sunday. The letter concluded any prospective juror who watched any of Lifetime’s “Surviving R. Kelly” wouldn’t be a good fit. Due to the ability to separate allegations during the documentary versus evidence presented at the trial.
“No one, even a well-intentioned person, would be capable of purging his brain of information obtained through the docuseries. She continued, “or separating information learned from the documentary that was never subject to cross-examination from testimony introduced at trial on the same subject matter.” Bonjean wrote the letter to US District Judge Harry Leinenweber.
Additionally, the 2019 docuseries features interviews with a number of witnesses. Prosecutors intend to call at those witnesses to trial. Including Lisa Van Allen, but also Jerhonda Pace.
Furthermore, “There is substantial overlap between the subject matter of this prosecution and the subject matter of the documentary,” Bonjean wrote.
