A Chicago jury of nine men and three women found singer R. Kelly not guilty on all counts at his child pornography trial Friday.
He faced 4 to 15 years in prison.
The case — involving 14 criminal counts of alleged taped sex acts with an underage girl — went to jurors on Thursday after a month-long trial.
The prosecution’s main witness, Lisa Van Allen, claimed to have had three-way sex with the singer and the alleged victim — Kelly’s goddaughter — who was 13 or 14-years-old when the sex tape was made in 1998.
Both Kelly, 41, and the victim denied they appeared in the tape (which was played for the jury). Neither took the stand during the trial.
“During this trial we have heard from 14 people that personally identified [the girl]. Twelve of them identified R. Kelly,” prosecutor Robert Heilingoetter said in his closing argument.
The defense maintained the 27-minute tape — which the jurors were shown — is an elaborate fake. (Defense attorneys argued that the man on the tape didn’t have a large mole on his back, as Kelly does.)
Kelly’s attorney called Van Allen “a liar” and “an extortionist.”
Source:UsMagazineÂ