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With his head bowed the entire time, R. Kelly wept as the verdict was read in a courtroom packed with security and county sheriffs. A 12-member jury found the superstar R&B crooner not guilty on 14 charges of child pornography. Kelly had avoided going to trial for nearly six years on allegations that he videotaped himself having sex with an underage girl. Kelly pleaded not guilty on all charges.
Prosecutors said the 41-year-old singer videotaped himself having sex and urinating on the girl, who prosecutors claim was between 13 and 16 years old at the time. During closing arguments on Thursday, prosecutors showed the infamous videotape for the second time. The tape showed a man looking like Kelly having sex with the girl and urinated on her. But Kelly's attorney's argued that neither Kelly nor the girl were the actual people on the tape.
During the month long trial, prosecutors called to the stand a string of colorful witnesses, including relatives of the girl. One of them, Kelly�s former protege Stephanie "Sparkle" Edwards, identified the girl in the video as her niece and testified that Kelly called the girl, who is now 23, his goddaughter.
The bombshell of the trial was Lisa Van Allen, a former lover of Kelly's, who claimed she had a tryst with the girl and Kelly nearly ten years ago. But the defense claimed Van Allen was a liar and a thief who picked bad men and was only trying to extort money from Kelly.
R. Kelly was acquitted of all charges Friday after less than a day of deliberations in his child pornography trial, ending a six-year ordeal for the R&B superstar.
Kelly dabbed his face with a handkerchief and hugged each of his four attorneys after the verdict � not guilty on all 14 counts - was read. The Grammy award-winning singer had faced 15 years in prison if convicted.
Minutes later, surrounded by bodyguards, he left the courthouse without comment. Dozens of fans screamed and cheered as he climbed into a waiting SUV.
