Headline RoundupSeptember 14th, 2022

R. Kelly Found Guilty of Sexual Abuse and Child Pornography

Summary from the AllSides News Team

Robert Sylvester Kelly, better known by his stage name R. Kelly, was found guilty of a number of child pornography and sex abuse charges by a federal jury in Chicago on Wednesday. This comes after Kelly was already sentenced to 30 years in prison by a New York federal jury in June for racketeering and sex trafficking. This may not be Kelly’s final time in court, as he still faces charges from Chicago and Minneapolis state courts.

Kelly, a highly popular R&B singer in the 1990s and into the 2000s, faced similar charges in a 2008 trial, but was acquitted after a key victim declined to testify. The anonymous victim, who now testifies that she was the girl seen in a sexually explicit video taken by Kelly, admitted to lying to a grand jury previously to protect Kelly.

Kelly’s legal team sought to poke holes in the prosecution’s case, casting doubt on the true age of the girl seen in the video that was the focal point of the trial. Additionally, they accused witnesses testifying against Kelly of lying in pursuit of fame and money.

Coverage of the trial and the jury’s decision was consistent across the spectrum. The Associated Press (Lean Left Bias) included an anecdote about Kelly smiling at fans present at the trial. Newsweek (Center Bias) noted that a juror had to be replaced after suffering an apparent panic attack. 

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