May 8, 2008 20:35

R Kelly attorneys attempt another trial postponement

Jury selection due to begin tomorrow

R Kelly’s attorneys have petitioned a Chicago court for another postponement of the long-awaited trial of the R&B superstar.

The singer’s team filed a motion yesterday saying "a torrent of
publicity" has surrounded the case, and appealed for a postponement in order for Kelly to have a fair trial.

The motion refers to a recent decision by Judge Vincent Gaughan to allow testimony from a woman who says she had a sexual encounter with Kelly and the underage girl in the child pornography video at the root of the case.

Kelly is standing trial for having sex with a minor and videotaping it. He faces charges of child pornography for the video, which was reportedly made between January 1998 and November 2000.

It is thought the motion to postpone will be rejected, as the trial has been pending for almost 6 years.

Members of the media, including the Associated Press, recently filed an emergency motion to have the hearings in the trial open to media coverage, however, the court ruled that Kelly can only face a fair trial if the hearings are closed.

Selection will begin tomorrow (May 9), during which 150 people will be interviewed for the jury.

--By our New York staff.
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