As a court official began slowly reading the verdict for each of the 14 counts of child pornography against him, the R&B;superstar clutched the hands of his flanking lawyers. He bowed his head and shut his eyes tight, barely moving.
As the official got to the last few counts Friday and it became clear Kelly had won a complete acquittal, tears streamed down the Grammy-winner’s face.
“Thank you, Jesus,” he repeated, over and over again, said one of his attorneys, Sam Adam Jr.
It had taken a jury of nine men and three women around seven hours of deliberations to acquit the 41-year-old singer on charges of videotaping himself having sex with a girl who prosecutors allege was as young as 13.
After the verdicts were read, a visibly stunned Kelly dabbed tears from his face with a handkerchief as he stood up and hugged each of his four attorneys.
The South Side native, who had faced up to 15 years in prison had he been convicted, left the courthouse surrounded by bodyguards. He smiled and waved to dozens of cheering fans before climbing into a waiting SUV.
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