The Return of R. Kelly

Two months have passed since the acquittal of R&B hit maker R. Kelly and he has stuck close the his beliefs; he can fly. Everyone knows about the famous sex tape that didn't have the same effect as it did for Paris and Kim. Of the reason being the questionable age of the young ladies in the radio.

Robert Kelly was indicted in June 2002 on pornography charges stemming from videotapes he allegedly made between 1998 and 2000 with a few young ladies; reportedly one of them was 13. Kelly is well known for his songwriting and vocal talents with songs like Ignition, You Saved Me and Step in the Name of Love, and step he did....right out of the courtroom.

The videotape showing a man that impressively looks like the Trapped in the Closet crooner engaging in various sexual acts with young girls - a couple mind you look like they are at least 19 - became viral once it hit the streets through corner stores and flea markets. After word spread it became mainstream news. Kelly has long denied that he is the man on the tape; furthermore, the young lady who's now 23 and the possible victim said she's not the one on the tape. After years of being charged with child pornography and many delays and jury selections, The People vs. Robert Kelly began.

Those reported to have testified were a high school basketball coach who said the 13 year old was once a player on his team in junior high school. He recognized her by a necklace she was wearing which had what reports say a distinctive cross on it. He remembers seeing her wear it while playing on the team.

Another witness, 27 year old Lisa Van Allen, claimed she was part of not one but a few ménage a trois moments with the victim and Kelly; one being on the set of one of his videos. After several hours of testimony and tears, Lisa said Kelly was willing to give her $250,000 in exchange for a videotape said to have a recording of one of the encounters. Interesting piece of detail is involved in her testimony, she admitted to stealing a watch belonging to Kelly worth $200,000 from a hotel room in 2001. That alone makes her look suspect. Kelly's business manager Derrel McDonald said in a statement Lisa's "an admitted thief and liar who wouldn't know the truth if she tripped over it." Though she was crying on the stand, it would be safe to believe that Kelly didn't threaten Lisa with harm. The Associated Press reported that Kelly's attorney, Sam Adam Sr., said Van Allen had ulterior motives when prosecutors contacted her a few months before the trial started. One possibly being getting a reduce sentence for her fiancée stemming from a weapons case.

In the course of the trial Charles Palm, a video analysis expert for the defense, stated the black mark said to be a mole on the lower back of the man in the video comes in and out because the tape was copied too many times. This was compared to photos of Kelly's back taken be police in 2002; there was a match because the spot was in the same position. He disagreed with prosecutor's video forensics expert Grant Fredricks, who along with another witness testified that it would be impossible to alter a videotape frame by frame. Palm said the video can be altered in a matter of months. He brought it home by providing a piece of the sex tape he altered 'over a couple of spare hours' as he would say. It doesn't there people.

Adding salt to prosecutor's wound, a private investigator for the defense stated that Lisa Van Allen, the participant of the threesomes she claimed to not want to be a part of, with her fiancée tried to extort money from the singer at the time they were offered a $300,000 book deal about her time with Kelly. Jack Palladino testified for defense that they didn't actually ask for the money verbatim but says that was the basis of them trying to get the money from him.

After years of delaying the trial, to finally getting the trial going, Robert Kelly is acquitted of all 14 counts. Had he been found guilty he would have been facing 15 years in prison; that would have given him plenty of time to write many of songs. Throughout this madness, R. Kelly continued to write and sing hits like Same Girl with Usher and That's That Shit with Snoop Dogg as well as touring. It would be safe to say he didn't let this ordeal consume him or his ability to produce such hits as the current Hair Braider.

Let's hope that this talented singer/songwriter/producer can continue to strive to move on with his life. Be more aware of what you're doing Robert; there are many that enjoy your work. You are a free man now; stick to your music and women at least 21 and over.