Well the trial of the year is now ready to start. The jury has now fully been selected for R. Kelly's trial. Of the 12 jurors who will decide the case, eight are white and four are black. With the four alternate jurors comprised of two blacks, one Hispanic and one white. Before the panel was finalized, R. Kelly's attorney's accused prosecutors of deliberately removing black jurors. Objecting several times, the defense charged the prosecution used challenges to have several blacks dismissed from the jury pool. "I think they're using these (challenges) to get rid of African-Americans," said Sam Adam, Sr., one of Kelly's lawyers.
Of the alternates one was a retired Cook County sheriff's deputy, who worked in the same complex that the trial is being held, said she knew little about the case and could be fair. R.Kelly was indicted on child pornography charges in June 2002 for allegedly videotaping himself having sex with an underage girl. The girl in question, now 23, says it's not her on the tape. Kelly has pleaded not- guilty. If convicted, Kells could face up to 15 years in prison.
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