R. Kelly Accused of Witness Tampering

With the R. Kelly child pornography, and molestation, trial set to start choosing a jury today a new allegation has surfaced that could put Kelly behind bars even if he was found not guilty on all the other charges.

The Chicago Sun-Times makes the allegation that the older woman involved in the video taped threesome with the underage girl, was paid by an R. Kelly aide to return the video tape of the alleged crime. The older woman was allegedly paid by the aide, but she is still set to testify, probably to keep herself out of jail. The underage girl in the tape is now 23 years-old, and she is set to testify that she is not the girl in the tape.

If an R. Kelly aide did pay the woman it would be charged as witness tampering. Blake Fielder-Civil, the husband of Amy Winehouse, is in jail for the very same crime right now.

Justice has waited six years for this trial, and this week R. Kelly’s lawyers tried to delay it another 18 months. Today, however, the jury selection begins FINALLY.

R. Kelly Headed for Jail

R. Kelly (41) pleaded not guilty to child pornography charges after he was accused of making a video tape of himself having sex with a girl who is alleged to be 13 or 14 years-old. The tape was authenticated by the FBI, which determined it could not have been a forgery.

As jury selection is set to start Friday, a new female witness has come forward who says she can identify the underage girl in the video, and her age. The girls is now said to be in her twenties, because it took prosecutors since 2002 to finally get the case heard by a court. Kelly’s lawyers will argue the alleged victim was not the girl in the tape, and the girl herself will confirm this allegation. Contradicting the girl will be the new witness who says she "was involved in a threesome with that girl and R. Kelly."

In the past, Kelly has faced civil lawsuits from underage girls accusing the singer of inducing them to have sex with him and a second woman. The title track of his 2007 album “Double Up” refers to a man arranging a ménage a trois.

Even with the alleged victim denying she is the underage girl in the tape, the jury only needs to hear the other women in the tape confirm the other girl was underage, to convict R. Kelly on multiple child pornography charges.

It’s about time justice was finally served in this case.

Ne-Yo Sues R. Kelly

Ne-Yo has filed a lawsuit against R. Kelly for firing him because he was more popular. In the lawsuit, filed in L.A. Superior Court against Rowe Entertainment of Atlanta, Ne-Yo (real name: Shaffer Smith) alleges that an "unknown representative of R. Kelly urged Rowe to terminate" him because of the "audience’s and critics’ more favorable reaction to Smith than the reaction to R. Kelly."

When Ne-Yo was dropped from the tour just before Thanksgiving, "contractual differences" were cited. Ne-Yo, who was set to make $785,000 for 25 dates, says he’s only been paid $50K of that, and he’s suing for that and for other compensatory damages.

Jay-Z had the same problem with R. Kelly.

R. Kelly Shows Up in Court

R. Kelly was in Chicago for his hearing early to avoid being arrested on a warrant that was issued yesterday after he missed a hearing after his tour bus was pulled over going 100 MPH in Utah. R. Kelly has been charged with 14 counts of child pornography, after a videotape surfaced that allegedly showed him having sex with a teenage girl in 2002.

He will perform at Chicago’s United Center tomorrow night.

R. Kelly Arrest Warrant Issued

A judge issued a bench warrant for singer R. Kelly after he did not show for a court hearing today in Chicago.

Kelly’s people said his tour bus was delayed in Utah. The judge in his child pornography case issued the warrant but won’t enforce, unless R. Kelly doesn’t show up tomorrow morning at 9:00 AM. After that the police will be free to arrest R. Kelly.

According to the Chicago Sun-Times, Cook County prosecutors pressed the judge, noting he had already shown considerable leeway in letting Kelly travel outside Illinois. "This is just an abuse of the process. It’s disrespectful of your honor," said Assistant State’s Attorney Shauna Bolicker.

Kelly has been charged with child pornography, in a widely reported case in which he allegedly videotaped a sexual encounter with a teenage girl. R. pleaded not guilty in the mess, which has been going on since 2002.

Kelly’s lawyer said singer was "detained because of some snow." The judge said a trial date will be set on Thursday. We’ll see about that. In the meantime, someone check and see if it was snowing in Utah yesterday and today.

Update: Police say that R. Kelly’s four tour buses were stopped yesterday, after they were clocked going over 100 mph. After the buses were pulled over, the investigating trooper noticed that the bus drivers seemed “tired.” The policeman then asked for the buses’ log books (with drivers’ rest and drive info) but they weren’t on board or weren’t updated. The buses were ordered taken out of service, and the passengers were left to find their own rides. If R. Kelly doesn’t make it to Chicago by tomorrow the warrant for his arrest with be in full effect. Better hop on a plane, fast.