CNN
—
R. Kelly was convicted of multiple child pornography charges at a Chicago federal trial and acquitted on others, according to the Chicago Tribune.
Kelly was convicted on three of four child pornography counts and acquitted on charges that he conspired to obstruct justice at his 2008 trial which stemmed from a 2002 state case.
He was also found guilty on three of five counts of enticement of a minor to engage in criminal sexual activity.
Jennifer Bonjean, Kelly’s attorney, said her client had a “sense of relief” that this case is now behind him, and felt that prosecutors had overblown their case against him. Bonjean said she is considering filing an appeal.
“There was a mixed verdict, but we won more counts than we lost,” Bonjean said outside court following the verdict. “If this jury concluded that he was guilty on the first three counts, would they care enough to consider the evidence on the rest? And they demonstrated that they did. They did their job. They looked at each count separately.”
Jurors deliberated for about 10 hours after listening to three weeks-worth of testimony, including from one woman who testified anonymously that Kelly sexually abused her and recorded the interactions when she was as young as 14.
The woman was one of five minors who prosecutors allege Kelly sexually abused in the late 1990s by making explicit videos with four of them.
Kelly’s former associates were also charged in connection with this case. Derrel McDavid, Kelly’s former accountant and business manager, is charged with conspiracy to receive child pornography, receiving child pornography and conspiracy to obstruct justice. Milton “June” Brown, Kelly’s former assistant, is charged with conspiracy to receive child pornography.
Both pleaded not guilty.
This is a developing story.
