R. Kelly convicted on child pornography charges at federal trial in Chicago

In a split verdict after a hotly contested trial, a federal jury in Chicago on Wednesday convicted disgraced R&B singer R. Kelly on child pornography charges for videotaping himself sexually abusing his then-14-year-old goddaughter decades ago.

Kelly was also found guilty on three out of five counts related to enticement of a minor. But in a rare blow for federal prosecutors, the jury acquitted Kelly and two co-defendants on charges they conspired to retrieve incriminating tapes and hide Kelly’s sexual misdeeds.

After about 11 hours of deliberation, the jury found Kelly, 55, guilty of three of the first four counts of the indictment, which charged the singer with the sexual exploitation of “Jane” for the purpose of producing child pornography. Those charges carry a minimum of 10 years in prison.

Kelly was acquitted, however, of the count alleging he videotaped himself having sexual contact with “Jane” and prosecution witness Lisa Van Allen. While Van Allen and Jane testified that the threesome occurred and was videotaped, jurors did not view footage from that encounter. Prosecutors said that’s because Kelly’s enablers successfully concealed it.

The onetime superstar, dressed in a blue suit and tie and black glasses, stared straight ahead and had no noticeable reaction to the jury’s decision. Despite his conviction on the most serious counts, his attorney, Jennifer Bonjean, pumped a fist and rubbed Kelly’s back as some of the “not guilty” verdicts were read.

Kelly’s co-defendants, Milton “June” Brown and Derrel McDavid, were acquitted on all charges against them.

Kelly and McDavid were acquitted on charges they conspired to obstruct justice in Kelly’s 2002 Cook County case. The two men also were acquitted on charges they received child pornography.

As he was found not guilty on the last of the counts against him, McDavid shot up from his seat in the middle of the courtroom and thrust both fists toward the ceiling. Later, he bear-hugged Kelly and appeared to whisper something in his ear before the singer was led away to the lockup by deputy U.S. marshals.

After court, McDavid’s attorneys asked U.S. District Judge Harry Leinenweber if their client could get his ankle monitor removed, given his complete exoneration. The judge said he wasn’t even sure of the procedure.

“This doesn’t happen often,” Leinenweber said. “But it should be done immediately.”

As attorneys packed up their things, McDavid said, “I’m buying the drinks tonight!”

In the lobby of the Dirksen U.S. Courthouse after court, Bonjean told reporters that she believed McDavid and Brown were charged only to try to get them to cooperate with investigators.

“Absolutely. That’s how the government rolls,” Bonjean said. “They don’t even believe in their own evidence, so they need to put pressure on other people to try to get them to flip. That’s exactly what happened. And I’m glad they got it. You know, that that didn’t work out for them.”

Jurors acquitted Kelly and his co-defendants on all counts related to their alleged attempt to cover up incriminating tapes while Kelly was awaiting trial in Cook County. The charges alleged a…