R Kelly Found Guilty In Federal Child Pornography Case

A Chicago federal jury found singer R. Kelly guilty of three counts of child pornography for filming himself sexually abusing his then-14-year-old goddaughter.

According to the Chicago Tribune, of the indictment's 13 charges, Kelly was also found guilty of three counts of child sex trafficking through coercion and enticement, reports 'Variety'.

He was acquitted on charges that he conspired to obstruct justice in his 2002 Cook County case. Additionally, he was acquitted on two counts of receiving child pornography and one count of conspiring to receive child pornography.

The verdict delivered on Wednesday follows the testimony of Kelly's goddaughter, who went by the pseudonym Jane. Three other women testified that Kelly had also recorded and kept tapes of himself sexually abusing them when they were underage.

There were two co-defendants in the proceedings, former employees Milton "June" Brown and Derrel McDavid.

Charges against them alleged a conspiracy to hide the videotapes and convince Jane to keep her sexual contact with Kelly private. Both Brown and McDavid were acquitted of all charges, including that they had conspired to receive child pornography, and that McDavid conspired to obstruct justice.

In closing arguments, Kelly's attorney Jennifer Bonjean claimed that Jane's parents were to blame for lying about her relationship with the singer and asserted this was not due to coercion, but because "They condoned it."

Kelly was convicted on enticement counts regarding witnesses Jane, Nia and Pauline (all pseudonyms), but was found not guilty on two others. (IANS)

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