R. Kelly Trial Day 9: Defense Expert Contradicts State's Mole Theory
Jun 07,2008 00:00
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Defense attorneys in the R. Kelly child porn trial caught a break today as a forensic expert testified in Kelly's favor.According to the Associated Press, video forensic expert Charles Palm told jurors that the black mark on the lower back of the man on the tape is not a mole but a result of video distortion.
Palm said since the video has been duplicated numerous times it appears and disappears.
As previously reported, last week an expert for the prosecution analyzed several frozen frames of the sex tape which revealed a dark mark on the man's back. Grant Fredericks compared the still frames to a photo taken of Kelly's back after his arrest in 2002, where a dark fingernail sized mole is evident.
Palm, compared the still frames with the same photos of Kelly's back and told jurors, "I see a black mark but it doesn't appear to be a mole." He also said the tape at the heart of the trial could have been manipulated in a matter of months. This contradicted claims Fredericks made last week which said it could be costly and timely-taking up to years to do.
As an example, he showed jurors a version of the sex tape that he manipulated, where the male and female fade in and out against the background. Palm said most of this process took him "a couple of spare hours." Though he acknowledged the tape he was shown did not appear to be altered he also said the picture quality provided no way for him to be certain.
Defense investigators also testified today that they were told by at least one acquaintance that identified the alleged victim that she was actually not sure of her ID.
In this morning's testimony, private investigator, Jack Palladino testified he believed the prosecution's key witness sought to extort Kelly in exchange for their silence. Lisa Van Allen testified earlier this week to having multiple three-way sexual encounters with the singer and a female she identified as the alleged victim. In a meeting with Allen and her fiancé Yul Brown, in Atlanta earlier this year, Palladino said Brown claimed a publisher had offered a $300,000 deal for a book about Kelly. "I assume they were trying to solicit a bribe," he testified.
Palladino admitted under cross examination that neither Van Allen nor Brown blatantly asked for money but he did say it "was a coded way to get money from my client (Kelly)."
The multi-Grammy award winning R&B singer faces 14 counts of videotaping, producing, or soliciting child pornography. He pled innocent to all charges and if convicted could face up to 15 years in prison.