R.Kelly Acquitted

The Current Case

Way back in 2002, R. Kelly was indicted on multiple counts of child pornography. The charges were a result of a sex tape that allegedly featured the then 35-year-old Kelly having sex with a 14-year-old girl.

Kelly and his legal team found various reasons to delay the trial, which began May of 2008 and lasted a period of three weeks. Neither Kelly nor the alleged victim testified during the course of the trial. On June 13, 2008, the jury acquitted R. Kelly of all charges.

Not a First Alleged Offender

The 2002 child pornography charges are certainly not the first time accusations have been levied against Kelly for such illicit and illegal activities:

• In 2005, a marriage certificate surfaced, allegedly proving that Kelly married then 15-year old protégé Aaliyah. Aaliyah, now deceased, and Kelly vehemently denied the union.
• In 2003, Kelly was accused of the same child pornography charges when digital pictures were found in his residence featuring the singer and an under aged girl. The charges were later dropped.

Will His Career Recover?

Kelly's career was already beginning to wither when Chicago's prosecuting attorney's office filed charges against him. The singer had the opportunity to breathe new life into his failing career when he and superstar Jay-Z launched the Unfinished Business tour in 2004, but Kelly managed to ruin his chances by acting unprofessionally and getting kicked off the tour.

In 2007, Kelly launched the Double Up tour featuring Ne-Yo and Keisha Cole, but that tour, like his career, floundered.

So, will his career recover? It's doubtful. The general public can forgive plenty of things that celebrities do, but alleged child pornography is not one of them.