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Long Live the Little Man Defense!How R. Kelly got off.

By Josh LevinPosted Friday, June 13, 2008, at 7:21 PM ET

(Continued from page 2)

Was R. Kelly acquitted because he's a celebrity? Lisa Van Allen thinks so. It's worth remembering, though, that most of the potential jurors indicated during the voir dire process that they didn't know who R. Kelly was, or at the very least had no idea that he was a global superstar. Perhaps the jurors absorbed Kelly's star power through osmosis and decided it was too heavy a burden to send away the man behind "I Like the Crotch on You." While it's not clear that justice has been served in this case, it seems obvious that the trial has generated more than enough fodder for Kelly's musical career. Coming in 2009: Trapped in the Courtroom.

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Josh Levin is a Slate senior editor. You can e-mail him at and follow him on Twitter.
COMMENTS

Remarks from the Fray:

I don't think this is too complicated. The jury heard from the "victim" who didn't seem to think she was a vicitim and decided that was enough. If she wasn't clamoring for justice then what was the point of sending the guy to jail?

--TJA

(To reply, click here.)

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