A federal jury has been impaneled R. Kelly’s to decide multiple charges against the R&B singer, as prosecutors and defense attorneys argued about whether the government improperly sought to keep some Blacks from the jury.
FILE - Musician R. Kelly leaves the Leighton Criminal Court building in Chicago on June 6, 2019. Kellys federal trial starts Monday in Chicago. hometown of Chicago to decide multiple charges against the R&B singer, as prosecutors and defense attorneys argued toward the end of the process about whether the government was improperly attempting to keep some Blacks off the jury.
Prosecutors noted multiple African Americans had already made it onto the jury before the defense objected, and they argued their reasons for wanting to strike some had nothing to do with race. In one case, they said one older man appeared to have a hard time staying awake.Judge Harry Leinenweber partially agreed with the defense, disallowing prosecutors from striking three Blacks from the jury, and restoring them.
In all, the judge dismissed about half of the more than 100 potential jurors who were vetted over two days in a large, 25th floor courtroom in downtown Chicago.Among those dismissed was a woman who said she had unfavorable views of police and judges, a woman who said she once took martial arts classes with Kelly’s kids and a man who said he didn't think the IRS should exist.
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