5:33 AM CDT, June 12, 2008
What to expect in R. Kelly closing arguments
Chicago Tribune

And now comes the end.

The R. Kelly trial nears its conclusion today with closing arguments beginning at 10 a.m. The jury.nine men and three women. could start deliberating as early as this afternoon.

With both sides eager to make one final impression on the panel, here are three points likely to be stressed by each side:

Prosecution

.The tape: Two video experts testified it would take decades to fabricate the sex tape at the heart of the child pornography tape. One analyst also broke down a portion of the video to show jurors that the video's male participant has a mole on his back.just like Kelly.

.The friends: The alleged victim denies any involvement with the sex tape, but three former junior high friends readily identified her for the jury. The young women were adamant and unshakable on the witness stand.

.The photos: At one point during the trial, the prosecution put up side-by-side pictures of the alleged victim and the female from the sex tape. Though some relatives denied a resemblance, the subjects in the photograph looked very similar.

Defense

.The victim: The alleged victim, now 23, did not testify during the trial and denied her involvement in the sex tape before a 2002 grand jury. The trial jury already knows this, but you can bet they'll be reminded again.

.The tape: Kelly's attorneys may move away from the mole defense, given recent revelations that their video expert used a lower-grade tape to demonstrate that the male participant had an unblemished back. However, jurors still may have doubts about the video because of its poor quality and unknown origins.

.Lisa Van Allen: Van Allen is the only witness to testify to first-hand knowledge of a sexual relationship between Kelly and his alleged victim. As such, the singer's attorneys dedicated much of their efforts to trying to undermine her. They'll paint her as a thieving blackmailer who only stepped forward to spare her fiancé from gun and drug charges. If the jury believes this, it could mean trouble for the prosecution.