CHICAGO — After four weeks of testimony from nearly three dozen witnesses, closing arguments in the Chicago federal trial of R. Kelly and two co-defendants began Monday with a scathingly methodical presentation from prosecutors and a fire-and-brimstone statement on behalf of Kelly’s former business manager.
Prosecutors at the Dirksen U.S. Courthouse started by reminding jurors of their strongest evidence against the singer: the multiple videos they viewed showing Kelly sexually abusing his 14-year-old goddaughter, “Jane.”
“Kelly and his team, they did their level best ... to cover up the fact that Robert Kelly, R. Kelly the R&B superstar, is actually a sexual predator. They did their best, but in the end, they failed,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Pozolo said in the packed ceremonial courtroom.
