R. Kelly in Jeopardy As New Trial With Jurors Nears; Warned of Trafficking Case Effects
R. Kelly will finally hear statements from an anonymous jury once the court holds his New York City trafficking trial.
Ahead of the hearing next week, the court finally screened and selected the potential jurors who will answer questions and ask queries surrounding Kelly's case.
U.S. District Judge Ann Donnelly personally screened the dozens of potential jurors in federal court in Brooklyn. After a thorough process, seven men and five women joined the official panel and were sworn in on Wednesday.
According to CNN, a US Department of Justice's spokesperson confirmed that the opening statements and testimony will start on August 18.
Although the jury has already been selected, their identities will remain anonymous and partially concealed.
Judge Donnelly reportedly assured them that they will remain unprejudiced and unbiased despite the damaging issues since Kelly's arrest in 2019.
Most of the selected jurors said that they knew the disgraced singer ever since he released his hit song "I Believe I Can Fly." But some prospects who attended the screening said they only knew a little or nothing about the case.
R. Kelly's Case
Ahead of the upcoming trial in New York City, Kelly already pleaded not guilty to charges being thrown at him.
Statements revealed that he led an enterprise with managers, employees, and a security team who helped him recruit women and girls for sex.
Defense lawyers alleged that the aforesaid victims were just part of the group who attended his shows and concerts and said that they wanted to be with him. The women reportedly started accusing him of alleged abuse after the #MeToo era began.
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In this case, he currently faces charges including sex trafficking, forced labor, sexual exploitation of children, and kidnapping.
Prosecutors have already charged that the singer also took explicit videos or photographs of several girls who were still minors. In addition, he reportedly kept the girls (whom he had interaction with) in rooms for several days without food.
A new allegation against him also emerged last month. He reportedly abused a 17-year-old boy he met at a Chicago McDonald's in 2006. At that time, Kelly invited him to his studio to mentor him.
However, it turned into a different thing when he allegedly asked the minor "what he was willing to do to succeed in the music business" and had a contact with him afterward.
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