A jury in Chicago has begun considering its verdict in the child pornography trial of R&B singer R Kelly.

The 41-year-old star is charged with filming himself having sex with an underage girl.

If convicted, he faces Mystery man jolts R Kelly trial ...
R Kelly 'taped underage sex acts' ...
Key 9/11 suspect charges dropped ...
Black Woman Sues Landlord After Discrimination Admission ...
Poland remembers Ghetto uprising ... up to 15 years in prison.

Lawyers spent Thursday summing-up evidence from the month-long trial.

A packed courthouse watched as each side presented its case.

Sex tape

The video is reported to have been made around 1998 when the girl was around 13 or 14 years old.

As its graphic scenes were projected onto a large display, Assistant States Attorney Robert Heilingoetter read out a list of the charges.

Afterwards, he reminded the jury that both of the film's participants had been repeatedly identified in court.

"During this trial we have heard from 14 people that personally identified (the girl). Twelve of them identified R Kelly."

That was disputed by the singer's legal team, who claimed the tape was a sophisticated fake, produced by individuals with a grudge against the star.

While the prosecution was methodical, the defence turned-in a more theatrical performance.

Witness attack

Using biblical references, attorney Sam Adam Jr attacked one witness, Lisa Van Allen, who claimed to have participated in threesomes with R Kelly and the underage girl.

"Second Corinthians 11, verse 14. And Satan shall come disguised as an angel of light.

"That is what she is. She is a liar. She is an extortionist."

Mr Adam asked the jury to consider why neither the girl nor her parents were giving evidence against R Kelly, or appeared to have taken any action against him.

"If this was really their daughter, if they saw what you just saw, we would not be having a trial.

"Any solid man in that family would have gone round there and broken his legs.

"How many of the family even came in here and said they confronted him. Zero."

Mole evidence

The defence also focussed on a mole which R Kelly has on his back.

Despite testimony by a forensic video expert that it can be seen on the tape, the singer's lawyers maintain the birthmark is not visible.

Mr Adam said: "The truth be told, there is no mole. That means one thing. It ain't him, and if at ain't him you can't convict."

In rebuttal, States Attorney Shauna Boliker urged the jury to base their decision on the video and not be distracted by side issues.

"It is concrete. It is here and it has got him on it with that child.

"This is not a who-dunnit. It is a he-did-it. He is the child pornographer."

The jury, which consists of three women and nine men have retired to consider their verdict.

R Kelly, whose full name is Robert Sylvester Kelly, denies 14 counts of making and owning child pornography.

The singer denies all charges

(BBC)

<< Back