R. Kelly Trial Jury Complete, Defense Charges Prosecution Of Racial Bias

Jury selections concluded yesterday for the long-awaited child pornography trial of superstar R. Kelly, but tensions between both sides were sparked as the defense accused the prosecution of racial bias.

According to the Associated Press, of the 12 jurors who will open 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.

According to the Chicago Sun-Times, the aforementioned challenges was displayed when the prosecution dismissed a black man -who's hair was in cornrows like Kelly's- because of his criminal record. The man was rejected for concealing his criminal record when filling out his questionnaire, and was dismissed by the judge for being dishonest.

When the motion was contested by Adam, Judge Vincent Gaughan fired the defense didn't argue when white males were dismissed.

"You haven't said anything about all the white males you've dismissed," Gaughan said.

In response, Adam protested the prosecution "used 50 percent of their challenges on African-Americans."

Prosecutor Shauna Boliker shot back, telling the judge that the defense had used all six of their preemptory challenges - strikes that usually require no explanation - on removing whites from the jury.

As previously reported, five jurors were picked for the panel on Tuesday (May 13). Consisting of five men and three women, the jurors were an even split of both black and white. Three jurors were selected prior to the five, two African-American (a man and woman) and a white man.

Among the six jurors chosen Thursday, a young woman told Judge Gaughan that she was a victim of rape and she could put the traumatic experience aside and hear the case fairly. Despite objections from defense attorney Ed Genson, Gaughan denied the defense request, saying the victim had looked Kelly in the eye and promised him a fair trial. She was added to the panel.

One juror, who was later named an alternate, told the judge that pictures don't always reveal the whole truth of the situation. As the young man spoke, Kelly looked up and nodded his head in agreement.

A 68 year-old man who immigrated from Communist Romania 38 years ago, praised the U.S. justice system, saying he understood the accused are presumed innocent, stating "the score sheet at the beginning of the trial- zero, zero."

Of the final two women selected as 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.

The 41 year-old R&B singer 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.