R. Kelly Found Guilty on Some Charges in Child Pornography Trial in Chicago

In his latest Chicago trial, R. Kelly was accused of producing and receiving child porn, enticing minors for sex and conspiring to obstruct justice in connection to his 2008 case.

By Gabrielle Chung Sep 14, 2022 9:38 PMTags
Watch: R. Kelly Found Guilty on 6 Counts in Child Pornography Trial

Content warning: This story discusses child sexual abuse.

R. Kelly's trial in Chicago has reached a conclusion.

On Sept. 14, the singer (born Robert Kelly) was found guilty on six charges relating to sex crimes and not guilty on seven counts, according to NBC News.

Prior to the verdict, Kelly faced 13 counts in total: four counts of producing child porn, one count of conspiring to receiving child porn, two counts of receiving child porn, five counts of enticing minors for sex and one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States. 

The jury found him guilty of three charges of sexual exploitation of children, related to the production of child pornography. However, he was found not guilty of attempting to obstruct a prior investigation. 

After the verdict, Kelly's lawyer told reporters that the case was overcharged. She said his team is not celebrating a win entirely but are grateful the jury looked at each count. She said she begged the jury to remember that he is a human being with a difficult childhood.

Throughout the four-week courtroom proceeding, prosecutors alleged that Kelly had obstructed the law in rigging his previous child porn case, which ultimately ended with his 2008 acquittal. The latest legal battle saw testimonies from four women accusing the R&B artist of sexually abusing them when they were children, including one who identified herself as the person from the video at the center of Kelly's past trial.

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Stars Who Have Spoken Out Against R. Kelly

During closing arguments, Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Pozolo accused Kelly of working with others "to cover up" the alleged abuse by paying people for their silence. "Robert Kelly abused many girls over many years. He committed horrible crimes against children," she told the 12-person jury. "The truth has come out."

For his part, Kelly has denied all charges against him.

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The latest Chicago trial came almost a year after Kelly was found guilty of racketeering, bribery, coercion, enticement and sex trafficking in a separate case in New York. He was sentenced to 30 years in prison as well as five years of supervised release and a $100,000 fine this June.

Kelly has remained in jail since his July 2019 arrest. 

He faces additional charges in Minnesota.

For free, confidential help, call the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-4673 or visit rainn.org.