R. Kelly Found Not Guilty on All Counts

R. Kelly has been found to be not guilty on all fourteen counts of child pornography due mainly to inconclusive evidence of the girl in the VHS tape according to the New York Times. While the male was most likely Kelly (the prosecution brought to attention a mole on his back), the girl's identity has been labeled "inconclusive." The girl supposedly depicted in the tape claims that the child in question is not her and was therefore not present for the Kelly trial. This ends a trial that began in 2002 and has faced multiple complications since.

The "I Believe I Can Fly" and "Bump 'N' Grind" singer has his extensive and high-powered defense team to thank for his surprising win. Without such a team, he most likely would have lost this bleak case that has now been labeled by one law professor to be "a victory for the concept of reasonable doubt."

As such celebrity cases go, many remained unconvinced of his actual innocence, and they would be right to remain skeptical. A woman by the name of Lisa Van Allen claims to have had a three-way sexual encounter that involved the girl in the tape. However, her testimony alone was not strong enough to sway the jury. Her boyfriend and ex-boyfriend are both felons and she admits to stealing a $20,000 watch from Kelly.

R. Kelly did not testify during this trial, but rather left the sensitive case in the hands of his legal team. As the final verdict was read, he is reported as whispering, "Thank you Jesus, thank you Jesus, thank you Jesus," and crying. However, the case may not be over for Kelly, as a resurgence of evidence could lead to further trials that may bring Kelly's innocence into question once again. It remains to be seen if this trial was truly the end of Kelly's legal troubles.