Jurors conclude first day of deliberations after hearing closing arguments

A jury in R. Kelly’s federal trial in Chicago wrapped up its first day of deliberations Tuesday afternoon after hearing two days of closing arguments from prosecutors and defense attorneys.

The jury began deliberations at approximately 1:00 pm and left for the day at approximately 4:45 pm. Deliberations will resume at 9:00 am on Wednesday.

Kelly, 55, faces 13 count indictments on charges of child pornography, obstruction of justice, and soliciting the sex of a minor. Two former colleagues are on trial alongside him.

A jury heard four weeks of testimony from more than 30 witnesses and saw clips of three sex tapes that prosecutors say Kelly sexually abused his 14-year-old granddaughter.

Kelly and his former business manager, Derell McDavid, threaten Kelly’s 2008 child pornography trial (in which he was acquitted), retaliate against witnesses, and buy back incriminating videotapes to protect Kelly’s children. accused of conspiring to cover up allegations of sexual abuse. Kelly’s former assistant Milton “June” Brown has been accused of receiving child pornography for his involvement in a plot to cover up a sex tape.

In Tuesday morning’s closing arguments, Jennifer Bonjeen, Kelly’s lead defense attorney, told jurors that they set aside what they knew about Kelly before the trial, most of which was probably unfavorable. and asked that he be treated as “John Doe.” said he had not heard of him elsewhere.

Bonjean also said much of the “unflattering evidence” he heard about Kelly came from the case, including past sexual abuse lawsuits filed against Kelly and testimony related to sex tapes involving the wives of baseball players. and “even a man.” She said the jury could not consider the evidence.

Pointing to the 1990s ballad “I Believe I Can Fly,” Bonjean said, no matter what the jury decided, Kelly did some beautiful things when it came to making music.

Bonjean also likened some of the prosecution witnesses who testified under immunity agreements with the government to finding cockroaches in your soup. Not only do they eat the soup, but they also throw the soup away.

Mr Bonjean said the government’s lawsuit was essentially based on the words of perjurers and blackmailers who went to court to “tell the truth about the government’s view”.

In closing arguments Monday, prosecutors spent more than two hours detailing the 13 crime counts against Kelly and connecting the points they heard in testimony over the course of four weeks.

“The truth is out. Find the guilty defendants on all counts in the indictment,” said Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Pozzolo. “Robert Kelly abused many girls over the years…and he didn’t do it alone…a hidden side of Robert Kelly was revealed.” The truth has come out.”

Pozzolo also recalled in clear detail what the jurors had seen and heard on these tapes. They all involved “Jane”, Kelly calling her 14 years old, and Kelly urinating on Jane’s body parts, her face and mouth.

“Her abuse will be memorialized forever,” Pozzolo said.

During the trial, four women accused Kelly of sexually abusing her as a girl. Among them was a prominent state witness, who testified under the pseudonym “Jane,” and she told jurors that after Kelly became a godfather when she was 14 years old, she was killed. He said he started to abuse me. From the age of 14 to 18, she had sex with her hundreds of times.

Kelly was convicted last year of racketeering and sex trafficking charges in federal court in New York and has already been sentenced to 30 years in prison. If convicted on federal charges in Chicago, he could face decades in prison.

Find out more about Tuesday’s closing arguments below