May 05, 2008

R. Kelly Trial: Woman To Testify That She Had Sexual Encounter With Kelly And Girl In Videotape

By Jem Aswad (MTV.com)

A woman will testify at R. Kelly's upcoming child-pornography trial that she had a three-way sexual encounter with Kelly and the allegedly underage girl shown in the videotape at the center of the case, the Chicago Sun-Times reported on Saturday (May 3). Jury selection for the long-delayed case is scheduled to begin Friday.

In the case, prosecutors claim to have identified the girl in the videotape, who is now in her 20s. Kelly's lawyers are planning to argue - and the alleged victim will reportedly testify - that she is not the girl in the tape, according to the Sun-Times.

But the new witness could weaken that defense, since she will identify the girl - and claim the girl was underage - sources reportedly told the paper.

"She was involved in a threesome with [the girl] and R. Kelly," one source reportedly said.

Lawyers involved in the case declined to comment to the paper, citing a gag order. The witness' testimony was among the items discussed in secret hearings last month before Judge Vincent Gaughan, who closed the hearings to the public and sealed many court filings (several news organizations have attempted to unseal the proceedings and documents). At one of those hearings, Gaughan said the new testimony would be admissible at trial, sources said.

Kelly was charged with 21 counts of child pornography in 2002 (seven of which were later dropped) for allegedly videotaping himself having sex with a girl prosecutors said was 14 years old at the time; he pleaded not guilty.

If convicted, Kelly faces up to 15 years in prison.