A jury found R. Kelly guilty of child porn charges in a Chicago courtroom Wednesday.
The disgraced singer was found guilty of 6 out of 13 charges filed against him in the federal case in Illinois, and will face sentencing at a later date, according to TMZ. A jury deliberated for two days before coming to this verdict, according to CTV News. He was convicted on all counts of child pornography but acquitted of other charges including conspiracy and enticement, according to TMZ.
BREAKING: R. Kelly has been found guilty at his child pornography trial in Chicago. The singer was already convicted of sex trafficking in June and still faces additional trials. https://t.co/0jn1JmqQiv pic.twitter.com/dqSFzbUJNc
— The Associated Press (@AP) September 14, 2022
Prosecutors alleged that Kelly videotaped sexual encounters that he had with minors and accused him of concealing video evidence that was going to be used against him by threatening the witness in his 2008 case, according to TMZ.
A groundbreaking moment in the case came when it was established that videotapes of his sexual encounters with minors would be permitted to be shown to the jurors, according to TMZ.
The explosive testimony of Kelly’s former goddaughter was included in the trial, and the jury listened in as she accused the singer of having sex with her hundreds of times before she was of legal age to consent. She claimed Kelly engaged in sex acts with her when she was just 15 years old, according to TMZ. (RELATED: REPORT: Disgraced Artist R. Kelly Will Become A Father Again While In Jail)
BREAKING: A federal jury on has convicted R. Kelly of several child pornography charges in his hometown of Chicago. https://t.co/jcEWkrm1W0
— CP24 (@CP24) September 14, 2022
The subject matter discussed in this trial was so sensitive in nature that a juror suffered a panic attack and had to be removed and replaced by an alternate juror.
Kelly’s attorney, Jennifer Bonjean, maintains that her client is “imperfect” but innocent. Kelly’s most recent charges are in addition to a 30 year sentence he is already serving in New York after being convicted of federal sex crimes, according to TMZ.