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Jurors for the case will be selected over the course of 10 days in mid March and the trial is scheduled to begin by April 7.
R. Kelly’s sex trafficking and racketeering case in Brooklyn is scheduled for to go to trial in early April, a judge ordered Thursday.
Jurors for the case will be selected over the course of 10 days in mid March and the trial is scheduled to begin by April 7, according to the order by District Judge Judge Ann Donnelly.
In a previous order, Donnelly said the jury would be anonymous and partially sequestered.
“The government has established that empaneling an anonymous and partially sequestered jury is warranted,” wrote Donnelly.
She added that US Marshals would escort the panel in and out of the Brooklyn federal courthouse each day and sequester them during breaks to protect them from outside influence.
Prosecutors, who requested the extra measures be taken, argued the “I Believe I can Fly” singer has a long history with pressuring accusers and others to escape justice.
In his 2008 child pornography trial in Chicago, which ended in an acquittal, the R&B legend allegedly personally tried to influence the jury, prosecutors in Brooklyn wrote.
The further argued that three associates of the singer were recently arrested trying to bribe and threaten R. Kelly accusers.
