R Kelly trial Chicago: Man grilled about inconsistencies over alleged promise for stolen sex tapes

Wednesday, August 24, 2022
CHICAGO (WLS) -- As the R. Kelly trial continues for the second week, the man who said he was promised a million dollars to get the Chicago R&B singer his stolen sex tapes testified for a second day.

Charles Freeman was questioned by defense attorneys for Kelly and Kelly's co-defendants Wednesday.
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For much of the day, the attorney for Derrel McDavid grilled Freeman about what he told a Grand Jury compared to what he told the jury Tuesday in this federal trial, emphasizing some inconsistencies.

RELATED: R Kelly Chicago trial: What to expect as singer faces producing child pornography charges

Beau Brindley asked about Freeman threatening to hold a press conference if Kelly and his team didn't give him more money.

"The purpose was to pressure Mr. Kelly and Mr. McDavid to get more money," Brindley asked



"Yes, but that was to get the payment that was missed," Freeman answered.

RELATED: R. Kelly jury views graphic videos of alleged sexual encounters with a minor

The attorney for Kelly contends Freeman was trying to extort Kelly for money and emphasized Freeman's deal with federal prosecutors.
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"Not only are you testifying here with a grant of immunity, you have immunity from Cook County," Jennifer Bonjean asked.

"Yes," Freeman answered.

RELATED: R. Kelly jury views graphic videos of alleged sexual encounters with a minor

Freeman testified Tuesday that he was promised $100,000 every odd year before Kelly's Cook County trial in 2008.

The R&B star was tried and acquitted in Cook County when the underage girl in the sex tape did not cooperate with prosecutors.



During this federal trial, jurors have heard from a woman calling herself "Jane," who testified she was in the video and she was only 14 years old.
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