A judge ruled Tuesday (August 21) that the videotape in the R. Kelly child pornography trial can be shown in full when the proceedings begin this September. Cook County Circuit Judge Vince Gaughan said the tape was key evidence in the prosecutors' case, rebutting the argument by Kelly's lawyers that the tape would unfairly bias the jury against him.
Additionally, the prosecution wants to bring in an expert to compare vein patterns in R. Kelly's hands with the hands of the man in the tape, to prove he is indeed Kelly. The defense decried this motion as faulty science, not comparable to matching fingerprints. The judge has postponed a ruling on whether the veins argument will be allowed in court.
The videotape at the center of the case depicts a man the prosecution alleges is Kelly, engaged in sexual activity and urinating on a 14-year-old girl. The teen allegedly depicted in the video is now 23 and refuses to cooperate with investigators. Because she will not admit it's her, the judge has ruled she cannot be referred to as "the victim" in the trial. Instead, she will be called the "state's witness" and/or "alleged victim."
The trial begins September 17. If convicted, Kelly faces a maximum of 15 years in prison.
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