R. Kelly's Sex Tape Phantom

Mike Riggs | June 5, 2008

It seems the purported victim's family in the R. Kelly sex tape case is having difficulty doing what Jimi Hendrix and Meg White fans were able to do in only a few hours: determining whether or not they know the person in the sex video.

Lead attorney Edward Genson starts things off by calling a cousin, an aunt, and an uncle of the alleged victim, all of whom declare unequivocally that their relative is not Sex-Tape Girl. (All three also acknowledge that they hadn't seen the video until this week—a reminder of the many prosecution witnesses who, the defense has argued, were certain that the alleged victim was on the tape before ever having seen it.) Charlotte Edwards, the girl's aunt, says that the young woman in the video has much larger breasts than the alleged victim. Genson, perhaps rusty when it comes to questioning nonhostile witnesses, follows up by asking Charlotte if she'd ever seen her niece naked—the same question he used to undermine witnesses who claimed they were 100 percent sure they could identify the girl. Charlotte, unperturbed or unaware of Genson's mistake, responds straight-facedly that she had indeed seen her relative's nude torso, "when I used to change her diapers."

In contrast to Genson, state's attorney Shauna Boliker performs flawlessly. After a few perfunctory questions to the day's first witness, the alleged victim's cousin Shonna Edwards, she begins the show-and-tell portion of the cross-examination. On a giant screen 10 feet from the jury box, the state displays a screenshot from a video put out by the alleged victim's music group. Shonna identifies her cousin and band mate immediately. A few seconds later, we see a still from the 27-minute sex tape—if memory serves, it's taken from the very beginning, as Sex-Tape Girl is about to receive a handful of bills from Sex-Tape Man. Shonna says that she doesn't recognize that person. Boliker then has the photos displayed side by side. Both are profile shots, showing the left side of the alleged victim's face, her mullet, and a slightly puffy cheek. They look the same. "Is it possible that it could be the same individual?" Boliker asks. "Not at all," Shonna says. Boliker doesn't accuse her of lying or covering for her kin. She asks no further questions, eager to get the next witness on the stand—another opportunity to put the pair of poster-sized photos in front of the jury.

Granted, there's a lot at stake if one of the actors is indeed underage, but what's the hold-up in identification? Seems like the gist of the case—the accusation of child pornography—is getting lost in the maze that is Kelly's extensive list of associates.

For more on Kelly's history of doing things that everybody disapproves of, click here.

Comments

Abdul|6.5.08 @ 12:33PM|#

Charlotte Edwards, the girl's aunt, says that the young woman in the video has much larger breasts than the alleged victim

Clearly, this case calls for a line-up.

|11.1.09 @ 8:41PM|#

WOW... nice baby :)
I've found R. Kelly Sex Tape '09 for FREE

> > > http://view-rkelly-tape.blogspot.com

good quality...

|6.5.08 @ 12:38PM|#

The most suprising part of the trail was when Jay Z stood up and yelled "I thought this was America people! Uhh, yeah, guilty until proven innocent huh? That's how we workin huh? Okay before me there was many; after me there will be none
I am the one
Uh-huh, okay, I see how we playin"

|6.5.08 @ 12:50PM|#

Both are profile shots, showing the left side of the alleged victim's face, her mullet, and a slightly puffy cheek.

If watching Cops has taught me anything, it's that if there's a mullet involved, someone is guilty of something.

ed|6.5.08 @ 12:54PM|#

Yeah, everyone complains of black and Muslim profiling,
but when you see a mullet you know it's up to no good.

ktc2|6.5.08 @ 1:10PM|#

Am I the only one who just doesn't give a ****?

I mean, if it had been a little kid 10 or whateve then I'd have some sympathy and think it's a matter for law enforcement but as it stands it's just another teen having sex. Teens (male & female) have sex. Deal with it. They do it with whoever they can for reasons (money, status) or no reason (they like it). Don't believe me? Look at all the stories of teens or even jr. high kids taking nude photos and photos of sex acts of THEMSELVES on their cell phones and sharing them.

I think the old fogeys really need to get over the whole "OMG! Teens can't have sex!" thing because uh . . . the teens have for several generations now.

Ska|6.5.08 @ 1:17PM|#

popularity of the search term "meg white sex tape"

For when you can't just go to a bar to bang an unattractive skank? She does have great jugs, I'll giver her that.

|6.5.08 @ 1:33PM|#

Yeah, everyone complains of black and Muslim profiling,
but when you see a mullet you know it's up to no good.

You can't choose your race. Most people don't choose their religions. But if you choose a mullet (which transcends race and creed), it shows a profound lack of judgment and intelligence.

LarryA|6.5.08 @ 1:38PM|#

I think the old fogeys really need to get over the whole "OMG! Teens can't have sex!" thing because uh . . . the teens have for several generations now.

As an "old fogey" I'll agree that's true, if by "several generations" you mean "since we lived in caves."

My local high school here in small-town Texas has a day care center, and it isn't primarily for teachers.

|6.5.08 @ 1:38PM|#

Am I the only one who just doesn't give a ****?
No

Elemenope|6.5.08 @ 1:45PM|#

You can't choose your race. Most people don't choose their religions. But if you choose a mullet (which transcends race and creed), it shows a profound lack of judgment and intelligence.

Unless you find yourself in a time-warp to the late '80s/early '90s and working for the Phoenix Foundation. Then it's the height of manliness and cool.

Zeb|6.5.08 @ 1:45PM|#

ktc2,
No, I don't give a ____ either. Couldn't agree with you more. I really can't get worked up about who a 16 year old has sex with. I think it is ridiculous to call something like this tape "child porn".

Terry|6.5.08 @ 1:47PM|#

That chick's family has been paid well to keep their mouths shut and deny, deny, deny.

The girl was 13 in the video. It's not like she was 17 or 18. If you all don't care so much about 13 year old girls getting rooted and pissed on by a trashy man who's much older than them, then send your daughters and little sisters to old Bubba down the road from me. I'm sure he'd be glad to get them and would know just what to do with them.

Naga Sadow|6.5.08 @ 1:51PM|#

Unless said person also has on a hat and wearin' a wifebeater with a cigarette dangling from the alleged perpetrator's mouth, sporting a mullet proves nothing.

Disclosure: I live in Mississippi and mullets are fairly common here.

ed|6.5.08 @ 1:54PM|#

Wait a minute. I thought libertarians were for child porn?

(ducks)

Episiarch|6.5.08 @ 1:57PM|#

I suppose I can understand having a mullet if you live somewhere (such as Mississippi) that they are not out of the ordinary. But when I see one in Connecticut, I can't believe the lack of sense of the wearer, as they are extremely rare and are like a huge fucking neon sign over your head that says "WHITE FUCKING TRASH WALKING".

Huey Freeman|6.5.08 @ 1:59PM|#

What the hell is wrong with you people? Every famous nigga that gets arrested is not Nelson Mandela! Yes, the government conspires to put a lot of innocent black men in jail on fallacious charges. But R. Kelly is not one of those men! We all know the nigga can sing, but what happened to standards? What happened to bare minimums? Are you a fan of R. Kelly? You wanna help R. Kelly? Get some counseling for R. Kelly! Introduce him to some older women! Hide his camcorder! But don't pretend that the man is a hero!

And stop the damn dancing! Act like you've got some goddamn sense, people! Damn! I'm through playing around here!

Naga Sadow|6.5.08 @ 2:04PM|#

Episiarch,

Actually the most mullets I have ever seen sported was in Palmdale/Lancaster about an hour and a half outside LA. It was mulletopia out there.

|6.5.08 @ 2:10PM|#

It might be bad to say, but teenage star-fuckers are the least sympathetic "victims" to me.

Apparently though, Kelly has a history of this type of behavior. At least in one story I read in the Chicago Sun Times, a few girls have come forward claiming they had sex with him and were promised recording contracts or jobs in the business that never happened.

The article seemed to imply that many of them seemed to have been paid off once they realized the promises were broken.

To me the most offensive part is Mr. Kelly's lack of judgment. There is too much smoke surrounding this guy for there not to be a fire somewhere. The dude likes the youngsters.

|6.5.08 @ 2:16PM|#

Disclosure: I live in Mississippi and mullets are fairly common here.

But... nevermind.

ktc2|6.5.08 @ 2:20PM|#

I'm not an R. Kelly fan, by any means. I don't like that kind of "music" at all. To be clear I don't like him or his music.

However, I don't believe teenagers should be lumped in with "child porn".

I know a lot of people (myself included) who were having sex at that age and don't regret it.

Abdul|6.5.08 @ 2:25PM|#

a few girls have come forward claiming they had sex with him and were promised recording contracts or jobs in the business that never happened.

If we locked up every guy who promised jobs or recording contracts in exchange for sex, there wouldn't be any men left in show business.

|6.5.08 @ 2:27PM|#

He videotaped himself pissing on a 14 year old. Maybe Mary Ruwart finds that acceptable, but I'm surprised many other people do.

|6.5.08 @ 2:31PM|#

I suppose I can understand having a mullet if you live somewhere (such as Mississippi) that they are not out of the ordinary.

I don't want to hear any of that cultural relativism BS -- mullets are just plain morally wrong everywhere. :)

Episiarch|6.5.08 @ 2:37PM|#

mullets are just plain morally wrong everywhere

I was trying to be nice. Mullets are a fucking travesty. If I see someone wearing one, I instantly know that at the very least they have zero taste. They may also be an idiot and are probably really really annoying.

Terry|6.5.08 @ 2:44PM|#

My nephew in Norway has a mullet. They're all the rage for the teenage emo crowd over there. I am relentless with him about it.

Naga Sadow|6.5.08 @ 2:52PM|#

No Marcvs. I don't have a mullet.

Naga Sadow|6.5.08 @ 2:55PM|#

Whoa, Episiarch. Whats with you and mullets? Sounds like there are some deep rooted problems there with . . . um . . . mullets.

|6.5.08 @ 3:31PM|#

Episiarch, point on this doll where the mullet touched you.

bubba|6.5.08 @ 3:41PM|#

Please do not send me your 13 year old daughters.

17 is good, though.

Episiarch|6.5.08 @ 3:43PM|#

(points at ass)

|6.5.08 @ 4:29PM|#

Is there any evidence that he knew how old this girl was? Many 14 year old girls, and particularly 14 year old African American girls, can easily pass for 19 or 20. I think we'd need to see a picture of this girl before you can make any judgments about the merits of the case. If R. Kelly is in the habit of making love and pissing on girls in their early 20's, and this girl looked indistinguishable for the rest, I can't see any moral crime involved, even if you accept age of consent laws.

|6.5.08 @ 4:46PM|#

I present to all of you the infamous, wonderful, brilliant schizophrenic Wesley Willis ... with CUT THE MULLET!!!! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=roxMH07qHmc

Elemenope|6.5.08 @ 5:48PM|#

How sad. *No* respect given for the MacGyver exception.

[Shakes head.]

ktc2|6.5.08 @ 6:01PM|#

Sadly the age of consent laws enforce strict liability to the point that even if they look old enough, and presented you with damn good quality fake ID saying they were old enough you're still going to jail. I believe in some states the laws are so strongly worded even if they held you at gun point tied you up and raped you, you would still be the one going to jail.

Terry|6.5.08 @ 6:15PM|#

The adult must be the one who takes control of the situation and assumes responsibility for his actions. The adult is in charge, not the child.

Besides, R Kelly has a rep for liking the young ones. He doesn't want them if they look old enough, so I doubt she was looking any older than her age.

|6.6.08 @ 1:59AM|#

Note to R. Kelly: Try placing a CHEERIO in the toliet bowl and practice, practice, practice.

Another note to R. Kelly: WE KNOW HOW YOU DO!

Note to SELF: Get a life and stop wasting your time commenting on useless pedophiles and rapists.

|6.6.08 @ 5:49PM|#

he has nothing aginst children. soooooooooooooo stop blaming him

|6.7.08 @ 5:35PM|#

sha-asia...I beg to differ with you. R kelly had a LOT against this girl and God knows where else...lol...that is why he is deep poop.

What planet are you from?