Wednesday's testimony is from a friend of the alleged victim at the center of the trial. Kelly has pleaded not guilty in the case and says the man on the video is not him.
The state is trying this case without the testimony of the alleged victim. That's because the young female says she is not the one on the tape. So, instead, prosecutors are bringing in several witnesses, relatives, and friends of the alleged victim who say they do recognize her on the tape. They began Wednesday with the female's best childhood friend.
Robert Kelly, as he is referred to in court, made another long walk past the cameras for day two of his long-awaited trial. Sitting at the defense table, the 41-year-old singer looked concerned as he listened to the alleged victim's best childhood friend testify.
Twenty-four-year-old Simha Jamison told jurors that the young female on the tape looked like her friend and the man is R. Kelly.
Tuesday, jurors were shown the 27-minute homemade video that is at the center of the case. The tape shows a man and a young female engaging in several different sexual acts. Based on the alleged victim's haircut and face, Jamison testified her friend was 13 or 14 when the video was made. Jamison says, for 10 years, she and the alleged victim were inseparable. Jamison told jurors she would accompany her best friend to hang out with R. Kelly at his recording studio, a local gym and the singer's Lakeview home.
Jamison said her friend referred to Kelly as her godfather and several times Jamison witnessed Kelly giving the girl money ranging from $100 to $500. Under cross-examination, Jamison went head-to-head with defense attorney Sam Adam Jr. The 24-year-old witness snapped back at him when he asked her in a leading way, "It's not her on the tape?" Jamison responded, "Are you asking me or telling me?"
Jamison also drew a laugh from R. Kelly and the entire courtroom when she was asked to look at a picture of the singer's back with the mole on it. At first Jamison didn't see the mole. And then, when she looked more closely, she said it looks more like a cancerous mole.
The defense is using the mole as a key to prove that R. Kelly is not the man on the tape. Under cross-examination, the defense also tried to imply that that tape had been doctored.
Late Wednesday afternoon, jurors heard from two more witnesses. They are two relatives of the alleged victim who also testified that they recognized that female on the tape.
