Kelly Lawyers Argue Statute

Attorneys for R. Kelly recently tried to get the singer’s child pornography indictment dismissed by arguing the validity of an Illinois statute, but the judge rejected their plea.

Kelly has been accused of videotaping himself having sex with an underage girl. Defense attorneys wanted the statute declared unconstitutional because it is not illegal to have sex with a 17-year-old in Illinois, nor is it illegal to use a camera, according to the Chicago Sun-Times.

The statute says it’s illegal to take pictures of a person 17 years or younger engaging in a sex act, the lawyers said.

“Those are innocent things [the Legislature] made criminal,” defense attorney Marc Martin reportedly said, adding that lawmakers were guilty of a “legislative oversight” in how they drafted the statute.

Judge Vincent Gaughan rejected the argument without giving a reason for his ruling, according to the Sun-Times. Kelly is due back in court April 21st, but a trial date has yet to be set.