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Witnesses ID Alleged R. Kelly Victim

By MICHAEL TARM,

Posted: 2008-05-22 07:15:37

Filed Under: Celebrities in Court, Star Scandals, Music News

CHICAGO (May 22) - Prosecutors trying to prove that a woman appeared in a sex tape with R. Kelly when she was underage - over her protestations that she didn't - have turned to one of her childhood friends, the friend's father and two relatives.

R&B Star on Trial

Supporters and protestors clashed on Friday outside the court where jury selection has begun in R. Kelly's child pornography trial. The case, which has been delayed six years, centers around a videotape that allegedly shows the singer having sex with a girl as young as 13 or 14.

Frank Polich, Reuters

The 41-year-old star was flanked by security guards as he arrived at the Chicago courtroom. Prosecutors say they have identified the girl in the tape, who is now in her 20s. Kelly's lawyers claim the alleged victim will say she's not the girl on the tape.

John Gress, Reuters

Kelly has pleaded not guilty and won't say if it's him on the tape. But according to the Chicago Sun-Times, the FBI has confirmed its authenticity. He faces up to 15 years in prison if convicted. His hits include 'Bump N' Grind' and 'I Believe I Can Fly.'

Frank Micelotta, Getty Images

The R&B superstar is accused in the child pornography trial of videotaping himself having sex with a girl who may have been as young as 13. His attorneys have said Kelly is not on the tape and the alleged victim, now 23, denies she's the person in the video.

To try to make their case, prosecutors put Simha Jamison, 24, on the stand Wednesday. She said she and the alleged victim were best friends for about 10 years, until their junior year in high school, and that she recognizes her friend as the one in the tape.

When prosecutors asked Jamison if she recognized the man in the tape, she leaned forward in the witness stand, peeked around the corner of the judge's bench and identified Kelly.

She testified that she and her friend visited Kelly at his recording studio and at a Chicago basketball court dozens of times, starting when they were around the age of 12.

Her friend first introduced her to Kelly as "her godfather," Jamison said, adding that the singer frequently gave her friend cash gifts - "no less than $100 and no more than $500."

She said the two also visited the home where authorities say the sex tape was filmed between Jan. 1, 1998, and Nov. 1, 2000. Jamison said her friend never mentioned a sexual relationship with the star.

Defense attorney Sam Adam Jr. said the reason the alleged victim never told the witness she was having a sexual relationship with Kelly was because there wasn't one and "because it's not her on the tape."

"Are you asking or telling me?" Jamison shot back.

Adam also showed pictures of a shirtless Kelly and asked Jamison how she knew it was his body on the video. "His head was attached to it," she responded, drawing laughter from several jurors.

During the cross-examination, the defense revealed another of its strategies may be to suggest Kelly's image was computer-generated.

"Something could have been done to put a different head on that body," Adam said. He also referred to movies where characters had been digitally altered.

The singer, who appeared grim-faced Tuesday when the sex tape was shown to jurors, looked more relaxed during testimony Wednesday, listening carefully to the witnesses. Jurors also appeared more at ease, taking detailed notes during some five hours of testimony. The 41-year-old Kelly, who has pleaded not guilty, faces up to 15 years if convicted.

An aunt and an uncle of the alleged victim also identified the female on the tape as their niece on Wednesday. Jamison's father, Peter Thomas, testified that the alleged victim's involvement in the video was the talk of their neighborhood.

The most highly charged cross-examination came after the aunt of the alleged victim - and a Chicago police officer - described how she and other relatives viewed and discussed the tape in late 2001, several weeks before someone mailed the tape to the Chicago Sun-Times, which turned it over to authorities.

Adam repeatedly asked the aunt, Delores Gibbon, why she didn't immediately go to authorities with the tape if she suspected it was child pornography. Gibbon said she was torn between her job and concern for the alleged victim and her parent.

At one point, Adam pounded his fist, saying the aunt didn't go to authorities because someone in the family wanted to "get back at Mr. Kelly" for a business dispute and hoped to "extort Kelly" in a possible civil lawsuit.

The aunt said she didn't know anything about an alleged extortion plot.

R. Kelly won a Grammy in 1997 for the gospel-tinged "I Believe I Can Fly," and also is known for such songs as "Bump N' Grind," "Ignition," and "Trapped in the Closet," a multipart saga about the sexual secrets of a lively and ever-expanding cast of characters.

Copyright 2008 The Associated Press. The information contained in the AP news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press. All active hyperlinks have been inserted by AOL.

2008-05-22 07:14:31

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24 comments

Lxldjk 12:35:33 PM May 24 2008

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FCIN you must like to sleep with little girls also. How does it come to your thought process thats it is ok to sleep with a 13 year old child. What needs to occur the police needs to watch your as:. A 13 year old child your sick. And If R didi that and evidence does show that he likes children well... Oh does anyone out there remember Ayaliah they did get married... This is a sign that it will happen again but he may not get cayght and someone needs to stop it now. It is a disease and all I can do is pray for R; R if your out there and you read this I am not condeming you; no one but JESUS walked this earth perfect... Brotha I can help. God bless you...

gstaylorlake 10:10:48 PM May 23 2008

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i hope he is not convicted becuse seriously he could have done better than a 13 yr old gurl famous or not so y would he do her i mean seriously i could understand if he were some nerdy freak that every one made fun of in high school but not him and either way it would be a waste of such musical talent he has the voice of an angel

alhall40 10:52:59 AM May 23 2008

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JUST ELEMTARY!``
STATUTORY RULE
LESSER CHARGE' 2ND DEGREE OF SEXUAL MISCONDUCT WITH A MINOR,UNDER THE AGE OF 21...
CHICAGO...HAS ALOT OF PROBELM'S...
SHOULD THE COURT PUNISH, THIS RAP STAR' I BELIEVE "HE GUILTY"WHY DOES THE KIDS TAPE SEXUAL PLEASURE AND RECORED THEMSELVES...
NO, DONT HANG HIM...FEED HIM, FOR 5 YEARS AND USE HIS OWN MONEY THAT HIS MADE MILLIONS OFF OF THE RUTHLESS MUSIC...BUT THE 1st AMEMEDENT GIVE THIS INDUSTRY,TOO SAY WHATEVER,THEIR WANT...IF YOU DRIVE A VEHICLE IN THE U.S.A. YOU PROBABLY WOULD UNDERSTAND....ITS FRIDAY AND THE GROUND WILL BE SHAKING BEFORE 1800 Hrs.et'al 6.00 o'clock..with that bass form this music...

abcstarfox 01:59:41 AM May 23 2008

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Just fry his ass and be done with it.

stargazer33154 11:31:58 PM May 22 2008

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he was 35 and had sex with a 13 yr old..that's just disgusting...most states sex isn't consensual until the minor is 17..13 yr old isn't guilty of anything but being taken advantage of

hapytrvler 08:33:34 PM May 22 2008

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OLD---------------------------- ITALIAN --------SAYING------------

YOU------PLAY----YAH-------THE------GAME-------

YOU------PAY ----YAH-------THE------PRICE...........

MARRY---THE-------VICTIM----------WIFE CAN'T TESTIFY AGAINST---HUBBY...

tbfritz 06:55:02 PM May 22 2008

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da is all da same. smoke that rock and make them babies.that is so cool and whitey pays for it all.Obama is da best!!!!

gman350z 03:16:03 PM May 22 2008

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He'll be singing a new tune when he goes to prison!

ninjamenfrommars 02:53:16 PM May 22 2008

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FCIN are you retarded? a 21 year old is completely developed in both body and mind. An adult could easily take advantage of a minor and not only is it sick it should be punishable by death. It's ok when it is two minors because people can rest assured that neither had been taken advantage of. Simply put, a 13 year old is not in a position to know about sex and sexuality and an adult is and should know better. And quite frankly should be disgusted by the thought of bedding them no matter the circumstance. i hope R.Kelly gets the chair.

SheAll323 02:43:36 PM May 22 2008

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If R. Kelley did it, he deserve justice like anyone else and his attorney should convince him and the girl to tell the truth. How in the world could he exploit that child and even film it. The evidence is right there, he should not have been filiming his dirt anyway. All his fans believe it's him but would like the court to be lenient. I think 5 to 15 would be good. Let these old guys know to keep their hands off the children.

XmasPartier 01:04:54 PM May 22 2008

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the crimes continue ...
Perjury under oath is a serious offence (just ask martha stewart)
And paying off a witness is also a very serious violation of the judicial system. I am guessing that someone has been promised compensation for molding their testimony to make for an innocent verdict for mr kelly.
This has nothing to do with race. Today the courts are full of adults who are pursuing underage persons for sexual activity. As evidenced by this flood of white middle class female school teachers in the courtroom for sex with teen students. I do find the whole state of affairs appalling and particularly distasteful is the golden showers between mr kelly and his lustful Lolita.

texasldy409 12:54:14 PM May 22 2008

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Anyone who has **** with a 13 year old girl needs a lot of prison time.
I can only hope our justice system works in this case.

fcifin 12:41:02 PM May 22 2008

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No! Don't Hang Him! Statutory **** is a charge that should be erased from the legal system. If a 13 year old girl has sex with a 13 year old boy, it is not a crime, but if she lies about her age and has sex with a 21 year old guy, it is a crime? Does this make sense? If the act of having consensual sex with a 13 year old girl is a crime, then both the 13 year old boy and the 21 year old guy should be punished, or neither one is punished, since the girl was a willing participant! She is guilty!

Lisas note 11:07:26 AM May 22 2008

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mvzgardens you make a good point it does seem kind of strange. And I liked how the friend stood up to the lawyer too.

Lisa

victoriacoventry 10:48:21 AM May 22 2008

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Wow, the girl says it's not her but her own father and aunt claim it is. You'd think they would go along with what she says in order to protect her even if it's her. It makes me think they have an ulterior motive. After all, why wouldn't they care more about the girl's embarrassment than convicting Kelly since the sex was consensual and not ****? Do they really want Kelly to go to jail or do they hope to pressure the girl into a civil suit from which they all hope financially to benefit? All it's going to take is one person to refuse to convict and this case is going to be over.

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