R. Kelly’s federal trial in Chicago that starts Monday is in many ways a do-over of his 2008 state child pornography trial on charges that he produced a video of himself when he was around 30 having sex with a girl no older than 14.
Kelly goes into Chicago federal court already sentenced by a New York federal judge to a 30-year prison term for a 2021 conviction on charges he parlayed his fame to sexually abuse other young fans.
He is to face a federal trial is a conspiracy to obstruct justice by rigging the 2008 trial, including by paying off and threatening the girl to ensure she did not testify.
The woman, now in her 30s and referred to in filings only as “Minor 1,” will be pivotal.
The charges against Kelly also include four counts of the enticement of minors for sex, one count each for four other accusers. All are also slated to testify.
There was only one video presented in the evidence 14 years ago, at least three other videos will be entered into evidence at the federal trial.
Prosecutors say Kelly shot the video of Minor 1 in a log cabin-themed room at his North Side Chicago home between 1998 and 2000 when she was as young as 13.
Minor 1 first met Kelly in the late 1990s when she was in junior high school.
In the early 2000s, the aunt showed the parents a copy of a video she said depicted their daughter having sex with Kelly.
“Minor 1’s mother did not want to go up against Kelly’s power, money, and influence by not following what he said,” the filing adds.
When called before a state grand jury looking into the video, Minor 1, her father and mother denied it was her in it.
Prosecutors say an attorney for Kelly sat in on their testimony and reported back to Kelly what they said.
Minor 1 was now cooperating with the government. With more resources, federal prosecutors also boast conviction rates of more than 90% compared to around 65% for their state counterparts.
