Singer R Kelly told a federal judge Thursday that he won't testify at his ongoing trial in Chicago on charges that accuse him of child pornography, enticement of minors for sex and fixing his 2008 state trial.
The judge raised the issue minutes before attorneys for Kelly and two co-defendants began calling their first witnesses, endeavouring to counter two weeks of government testimony, including from four women who accused Kelly of sexual abuse.
Addressing the Grammy Award-winner directly Thursday (local time), Judge Harry Leinenweber asked if he had discussed with his lawyers whether to testify. Kelly, 55, responded that he had. Asked if he would testify, Kelly said he would not.
Co-defendant Derrel McDavid, a longtime Kelly business manager, is accused of helping Kelly rig the 2008 trial. McDavid said he will testify. Co-defendant Milton Brown is charged with receiving child pornography. Like Kelly, he said he wouldn't testify.
Taking the witness stand is always risky, including because it subjects a defendant to cross-examination. There's always a chance a defendant blurts out something incriminating under tough questioning.
