In a dramatic verdict which left even his own highly-paid lawyers 'jaw-dropped,' R&B star, R. Kelly was cleared of all 14 counts of child pornography on Friday. Six years after he was charged with videotaping himself while he allegedly had sex with — and urinated on — his underage goddaughter at his former home in Chicago. A jury took a little more than seven hours over a two day span to acquit him.Fifteen witnesses identified the alleged victim as the girl on the notorious 27-minute sex tape and a dozen identified Kelly as the man, but the jury said they could not be sure.
The refusal of the alleged victim to testify for the state was key in their decision, jurors said. She was just 13 or 14 when the tape was allegedly made sometime between 1998 and 2000.
But an overcome Kelly dropped his head and began sobbing as the first “not guilty” was read shortly after 2 p.m. Friday, keeping it bowed for several minutes as he was cleared on each of the remaining counts.
Minutes later Kelly walked out of the courthouse a free man, striding past TV and press cameras and into a jubilant crowd of 75 supporters, before speeding away in a chauffeured SUV.
