Nearly two months after he was convicted and handed a 30-year prison sentence in New York on charges of federal racketeering and sex- trafficking, disgraced musician R. Kelly is set to return to court for a second federal trial, this time on charges of child pornography and obstruction of justice, in his hometown of Chicago.
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| Robert Kelly. Photo: E. Jason Wambsgans via TheNewYorkTimes |
Jury selection is scheduled to begin Monday in a case that stems from the complaints of several women who allege that Kelly, 55, lured them into sex acts while they were underage. At least two are expected to testify, according to court documents.
This trial is expected to resurface accusations brought against Kelly, whose full name is Robert Sylvester Kelly, 14 years ago in a state trial on charges of child pornography for which he was eventually acquitted.
Illinois federal prosecutors allege that Kelly obstructed justice in that 2008 criminal trial in Cook County, which involved a video recording of Kelly allegedly sexually abusing a minor.
The singer will be tried alongside his former business manager, Derrel McDavid, and associate, Milton “June” Brown, who are both accused of conspiring with Kelly to intimidate and bribe witnesses and cover up evidence in the 2008 trial, according to the federal charges against them.
Kelly has denied any wrongdoing.
Neither Kelly’s lawyers nor prosecutors responded to requests for comment.
Mary Higgins Judge, an attorney representing Brown, declined to comment. Brown pleaded not guilty to the charges against him.
Beau Brindley, an attorney for McDavid, said in a statement that during the time relevant to the charges in the case, he “did only one thing: he did his job.
“It was his job to protect Robert Kelly’s image and his career. To do that, he hired some of the best lawyers in the United States,” Brindley said.
“Those are the only people with whom Mr. McDavid entered into any agreements relevant to this case. Mr. McDavid and these lawyers did their job. They executed it with excellence. That was not a crime then. It is not a crime now. We look forward to Mr. McDavid’s exoneration.” NBCNews
