CHICAGO (Reuters) - A jury acquitted R&B star R. Kelly of child pornography charges on Friday, finding he did not make an explicit videotape showing him having sex with an underage girl who called him "godfather."
The 41-year-old Kelly, whose given name is Robert, could have faced a sentence of up to 15 years in prison on 14 counts of child pornography.
The eight-man, four-woman jury deliberated about six hours over two days before delivering the not guilty verdict on all counts.
The 26-minute videotape featured oral sex, masturbation and other explicit acts and was handed over to police by a Chicago newspaper reporter in 2002. It had circulated widely on the underground video market.
Authorities said the tape was shot at Kelly's former Chicago home sometime between January 1998 and November 2000 when the girl was 13 or 14.
The tape was played in court for the jury, and the girl could be heard whispering "daddy" several times. Family members testified she considered Kelly her "godfather" who frequently gave her cash gifts. She sang in a group supported by the popular songwriter, singer and producer.
The girl, now 23, did not testify at the three-week trial in Cook County Criminal Court, having previously denied she was the girl on the tape. Kelly, who has toured and made million-selling albums during the six years since his initial arrest, denied being the man on the tape.
(Writing by Andrew Stern; Editing by Doina Chiacu)
