R. Kelly jury excused after suffering a panic attack
A juror in R. Kelly’s child sexual abuse trial has been replaced and excused after suffering a panic attack during closing arguments.
Here is everything you need to know.
R. Kelly’s jury has a panic attack in court
On Monday, September 12, closing arguments in the second trial of R. Kelly were held in the Dirksen Federal Courthouse in Chicago after almost two years.
However, it was reported that one of the 12 jurors suffered a panic attack during the proceedings. The jury was also excused from participating in the session.
Additionally, Jason Meisner, a reporter for the Chicago Tribune, reported that the juror was a white female and appeared to be in her early 30s. He also revealed that she works for a public library.
He wrote in a tweet: “One of R. Kelly’s jurors is having a panic attack and doesn’t think he can continue, judge says.”
Meisner said in a follow-up message: “The judge says he is juror number 44, who works for a public library. The 7th jury was selected. “I’m inclined to excuse her,” says Leinenweber.
Furthermore, he added, “[Judge] Leinenweber says the jury reported that they don’t think “I can go on another minute” and that waiting all night wouldn’t help. She would be replaced by an alternate, juror number 83, a white male in his 60s.
Additionally, the woman had reportedly only heard headlines about the disgraced singer, but had never seen the Surviving R. Kelly series of documents. However, it seems that the graphic content presented during the trial could have affected him.
///BREAKING/// One of the #RKelly jury is having a panic attack and doesn’t think he can go on, judge says
—Jason Meisner (@jmetr22b) September 12, 2022
The judge says he’s juror number 44, working for a public library. The 7th selected jury.
“I’m inclined to excuse her,” says Leinenweber.—Jason Meisner (@jmetr22b) September 12, 2022
More about the R. Kelly child sexual abuse trial
R. Kelly is facing sex crime charges for the second time in just one year. He is already serving a 30-year prison sentence after he was convicted on federal racketeering and sex trafficking charges in New York City.
In the current trial, the 55-year-old R&B singer is charged with child pornography and obstruction of justice.
It has been alleged that he intimidated and bribed witnesses to hide evidence related to a 2008 criminal trial on child pornography charges in Cook County.
Additionally, an alleged victim who identifies herself as Jane took the stand last month in Chicago to reveal that Kelly had sex with her multiple times before she turned 18. He also claimed that the singer filmed intimate videos of her when she was only 14 years old.
Juror 44 is a white female, in her 30s (at least in my opinion). She said that during jury selection she had seen headlines about Kelly’s allegations, but she had not seen “Surviving R. Kelly.”
—Jason Meisner (@jmetr22b) September 12, 2022
Leinenweber says the jury reported that they don’t think “I can go on another minute” and that waiting all night wouldn’t help. She would be replaced by an alternate, juror #83, a white male, in his 60s.
—Jason Meisner (@jmetr22b) September 12, 2022
