R. Kelly Porn Trial

Guide Note

Jury selection in R. Kelly's child pornography trial got underway in Chicago on May 9, 2008, nearly six years after the Grammy-winning R&B singer was arrested.

In February of 2002, a videotape allegedly featuring Kelly having sex with a girl as young as 13 was sent to police. Kelly was indicted four months later on multiple counts of child pornography.

Reports say the alleged victim, who is now 23, claims it was not her on the videotape. Attorneys for Kelly asked the Judge Vincent Gaughan for a postponement, which he denied.

Fast Facts

1. 2002: Videotape sent to police; Kelly indicted
2. Kelly's lawyers seeking postponement
3. Trial expected to last several weeks
4. 150 potential witnesses
5. If convicted, Kelly faces up to 15 years behind bars
6. Gag order in place since 2002

Judge Vincent Gaughan held several closed-door hearings on the Kelly case in April of 2008. The hearings reportedly concerned testimony from an Atlanta woman who claims she had sex with Kelly and the underage girl.

The Chicago Sun-Times is reporting the woman might have been paid off by a Kelly aide to return the videotape. Gaughan ordered all records from those hearings sealed, but several media outlets are asking him to release the transcripts and unseal documents from the proceedings.

1. "Every waking moment, he's always had this hanging over his head. He's confident that when all the evidence comes out he'll be shown not to be guilty of any crime."— Allan Mayer, Kelly's spokesman