One month ago, R&B singer R. Kellyâs trial date was set, atleast thatâs what we thought. A Chicago judge decided on Tuesday (September 4) that the child-pornography criminal case against R. Kelly, which has been pending for five years, will not be going to trial on September 17 after all. The Chicago Sun-Times reported that lead prosecutor Shauna Boliker, who just had her third child, would not to return to work before the presently-set trial date. A court statement read, “Under doctor’s orders the lead prosecutor, who has recently given birth, is not able to proceed at this time.” Per a gag order, neither side was permitted to comment on this new delay, the latest in a long series of postponements. This is the third strange medical mishap to have delayed Kellz’s trial. The first occurred this winter, when Kelly had to undergo emergency surgery on his appendix. The second delay came when Judge Vincent Michael Gaughan fell off a ladder, fracturing his back. A new date for the trial has yet to be determined. The next status hearing in the case is set for Monday. Kelly was charged with 21 counts of child pornography in 2002 (seven of which were later dropped) for allegedly videotaping himself having sex with a girl prosecutors said was 14 years old at the time; he pleaded not guilty. If Kelly is convicted of the charges, he faces a prison term of up to 15 years and a fine of up to $100,000.
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