R Kelly trial: Juror in child pornography case suffers panic attack during closing argument
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CHICAGO, ILLINOIS: R Kelly, who was sentenced to 30 years in prison on June 29 for sexually abusing women, is facing another trial on charges of child pornography and obstruction of justice. In the same trial, a juror requested the judge to be replaced as the closing arguments were getting overwhelming which resulted in her panic attack. The White woman had a panic attack hours into closing arguments from prosecutors and defense attorneys.
Before replacing Juror 44 with Juror 83, a White man, District Judge Harry Leinenweber said, "I’ve been advised she said she can’t go on one minute more," as per NBC News. The interesting event occurred after Assistant US Attorney Elizabeth Pozolo and a defense attorney had presented their closing arguments. Pozolo told jurors on Monday, September 12, that the 'I Believe I Can Fly' singer had committed "horrible crimes against children" and that he tried to cover up his actions with the help of his business partners as he knew they would be "completely damning."
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Pozolo also said, "Robert Kelly abused many girls over many years. He committed horrible crimes against children. And he didn’t do it alone." Talking about the other two parties accused of assisting Kelly, McDavid, and Brown, Pozolo said that they "worked to get those tapes back because they would be completely damning." Basing his closing arguments on a victim's statement, Jane, Pozolo said that Kelly "took advantage of Jane's youth" for his own "sick pleasure." Jane testified that she was made to have sex with Kelly hundreds of time from age 15 to 18. Jane agreed that sh ewas intimidated by him and would look at him as an authoritative figure.
R Kelly's case: Closing arguments get heated
Robert Sylvester Kelly is being tried alongside his former business manager, Derrel McDavid, and an associate, Milton "June" Brown. They are both accused of collaborating with Kelly on his crimes, intimidating and bribing witnesses, and covering up evidence in a 2008 criminal trial on child pornography charges in Cook County. McDavid’s defense attorney, Beau Brindley, went strong in his closing arguments saying, "The only two people who said he did anything wrong are two people who plainly lied. The evidence fits together to expose a lie."
On the other hand, an attorney for Brown has completely discarded these allegations. Mary Judge said he was "nothing more than an assistant" to Kelly and "had no knowledge of what was on the tapes, and there’s no evidence that he did." The woman who left the courtroom works for a public library and couldn't bare the excruciating details of Kelly's crimes. The deliberation is expected to begin on Tuesday, September 13, after Kelly's lead attorney, Jennifer Bonjean, makes her closing argument and the prosecutors come with their rebuttal.