The R&B singer’s sex crimes trial is nearing its end, and the prosecution has finally rested their case against the singer. Presenting more than 40 witnesses, 11 of whom accused him of sexual abuse, their argument has been rock solid since the beginning. This week it was the defence’s turn to prove that the singer is not guilty of the charges filed against him, but their case was lacklustre in comparison.
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Sketchy testimonies
They had called upon three witnesses to provide testimonies vouching for the singer’s good character. The first was aspiring artist, Dhanai Ramnanan, who had worked with the singer for 15 years. He said that Kelly was his mentor who was helping him get success in the music industry.
The witness confirmed that he would often go on tour with the singer, and also spent time at his home. He claimed that he saw Kelly interact with many women, but he was always‘chivalrous’.According to the witness, he would open the doors for the ladies, ask them to order and eat first when they went out, and he saw girls use the bathroom at their own will.
As detailed by The Rolling Stone, when the prosecution cross-examined the struggling artist, he failed to remember the name of the tours that he allegedly went to, and he was also fuzzy about the year the two first met. Additionally, despite years of camaraderie and partnership, Ramnanan also never released any music.
Weak defence
The defence’s second witness, an ex-cop and felon Larry Hood, worked as the singer’s body guard from time to time in the 1900s and early 2000s. In all those years, Hood testified that he had never seen the singer abusing any women, or having illegal relations with underage girls. He relied on his occupation as a police officer to add strength to his statement, saying:
As a police officer, I would have had to take action against that.
However, his testimony also crumbled after it was brought to light that he was previously found guilty in a counterfeit money case. Furthermore, after being questioned by the prosecution, he admitted that he had met Aaliyah while working for R. Kelly and at the time she looked underage. He said:
She was a young lady, yes.
The third witness failed to show up to court because of funding issues.
